Sixty Hearts
by Cyri's Alter Ego
Summary: Well, I'm going to have a go at writing sixty one-shots, each about a diffent Warriors pairing. Yes, this was fifty before. T for safety.
1. BlueOak: A Gathering Like No Other

**A/N/: Now, there's a pattern I've been noticing. Everyone does fluffy little one-shots about some pairing like... Oh, I don't know, CrowLeaf. Or... FireSpotted. Or GreySilver. And do you know something? I was browsing the Warriors fandom just now... There was _one _BlueOak romance! _One_! It's one of the best pairings in the whole series (in my opinion anyway) and there was a measly _one _fanfic about them. T_T So, my first one-shot in this series is going be... (surprise, surprise) BlueOak! (Oh, and by the way... I haven't read Bluestar's Prophecy, so I'm sorry for any clashing)**

**DISCLAIMER: The Erins basically forgot this poor 'lil pairing... But, unfortunately, that still doesn't give me the right to own it. Or Warriors altogether, actually.**

BlueOak: A Gathering Like No Other

I shivered, fluffing up my blue-grey fur against the cold. I couldn't believe I had been chosen to go to the Gathering this early in my training! I threw a swift glance at my mentor, Stonepelt, who nodded supportingly.

"Just be yourself, Bluepaw," he encouraged.

I nodded and turned my head back to our leader, Pinestar, as he hesitated at the top of the ridge for a heartbeat before plunging down into the clearing.

"Oh, wow..." I mewed softly, gazing at the silver moonlight, which fell on four twisted, ancient oaks.

The cats scattered into groups and began chattering to their friends in other Clans.

"Can I... talk to them?" I asked tentatively, flicking my tail self-consciously as two RiverClan apprentices passed by.

"Of course you can!" A reddish-brown tom from the group of RiverClan apprentices answered before Stonepelt even had the chance to open his jaws.

I glanced back at Stonepelt, who nodded, before dashing off to join them.

"A ThunderClan cat?" groaned the second apprentice, a pale tabby tom with a twisted jaw.

"Don't mind Crookedpaw - his mew is worse than his scratch!" the reddish-brown tom assured me. "I'm Oakpaw, by the way, and this furball is my brother, Crookedpaw."

"My name's Bluepaw," I replied shyly.

"We're not _that _threatening, are we?" Oakpaw mewed teasingly, noticing my reservations.

I quickly shook my head. "Not even in your dreams!" I teased back, beginning to like this RiverClan apprentice's sense of humour.

Oakpaw growled playfully. "I can be _very_ scary..."

Crookedpaw threw his brother a disdainful look. "Well, I'll be over here. In some _proper_ company."

He gave a scornful sniff and stalked away.

"He's always been a little bit... you know," mewed Oakpaw in an undertone. "Ever since Brambleberry told him that his broken jaw hadn't healed properly from when he tripped on the Sunningrocks..."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," replied Oakpaw. His mew became lighter as he went on. "Anyway, he's just putting on an act of being all impressive for Greypaw. Every cat knows that he likes her..."

I looked over at where his ears were angled to see an ornery grey she-cat gazing at Crookedpaw with an expression of admiration on her face.

I let out a purr, when a yowl rang out from the Great Rock.

"Look! It's Pinestar!" I squeaked, excited to see the red-brown tom on the Great Rock with the other leaders - Cedarstar, a very dark grey tom, Heatherstar, a pinkish grey she-cat, and Hailstar, a thick-pelted grey tom.

During the Gathering, I noticed that Oakpaw kept on snatching glances at me. My fur tingled with an unnamed emotion every time this happened, though I pretended not to notice. He knew that I was pretending not to notice that he kept staring at me - and to be honest, I knew that _he_ knew that I was pretending not to notice.

In what seemed like two heartbeats, the Gathering was over, and cats were mewing their goodbyes to each other.

"Bluepaw!" called Robinwing from the other side of the clearing, kneading the ground with her brown paws.

"Is that another apprentice?" asked Oakpaw curiously, gazing at the young warrior. A small twinge of something that might have been jealousy stirred in my belly.

"No, that's Robinwing. She's quite a young warrior, and she's really small."

"Bluepaw!" Robinwing called again.

"I have to go," I mewed, making as though to leave.

"Wait, Bluepaw!" Oakpaw's mew stopped me in my tracks.

"What is it?" I asked, confused.

"Let's meet again," he begged. "Near Sunningrocks."

I longed to say yes - I wanted to see Oakpaw again, I really did - but a flicker of unease stopped me. "Isn't that against the warrior code?" I asked uncertainly.

Oakpaw shook off my doubts like droplets of water. "No, not as long as we stay on our sides of the border," he replied, his amber eyes shining. "And the code does say that we can have friendships in other Clans."

"I suppose..." Now that I thought about it, Oakpaw's words made sense. "Okay," I agreed. "I'll meet you at moonhigh."

"Can't wait." A purr rumbled in Oakpaw's throat, before he was gone.

***

My paws kneaded the ground impatiently as I waited for Oakheart's arrival. Many moons had passed since we had first met at the Gathering, but we still met every quarter moon. He was now deputy of his Clan, and I couldn't have been prouder of him... But there was something I had to tell him.

"Bluefur!" a familiar reddish-brown shape emerged from a clump of bracken with a rustle. I purred as Oakheart butted his head against my flank lovingly, by way of greeting - we had long since abandoned the prospect of not crossing over into each other's territories. "You look plumper than usual - the fresh-kill must be running well for your Clan."

There it was - the perfect opening to tell him what I needed to. I swallowed nervously. "Well, yes... But, Oakheart, the thing is... I'm not just eating for myself now."

Oakheart looked up at me, his amber gaze burning into mine. "Are... are you saying...?"

I nodded. "Yes, Oakheart. I'm going to have your kits."

I was afraid of his reaction - I admit it. I was scared that he would flee, and leave me - want nothing more to do with me. But to my delight, he did the exact opposite.

A purr swelled in his throat, and his eyes shone with youthful joy just like on the night we had first met.

"They'll be the most beautiful kits in the whole of ThunderClan, I'm sure," I mewed, savouring his pleasure.

Oakheart's thundering purr grew louder. "Of course they will, with you to nurse them." He licked the top of my head, raw joy pulsing from him. "Oh, Bluefur. I love you. I love you. I love you."

I purred and twined my tail with his. "I love you too, Oakheart. I always will."

But little did I know how much pain and grief those kits would cause me.

**A/N/: Okay, this is going to take second place at the moment. I'm working on Storm: Wreaths of Smoke, and if it comes to the choice, I will upload Wreaths of Smoke before this. But hopefully it won't be, like, weeks and weeks between updates ;D**


	2. TigerGolden: Never Once Told Me

**A/N/: Thanks to starryskywishes235, (you didn't put a name O.o), Lion's Song, .tuerzame., Jayfeather Fan 19, and dude1094 for reviewing! This is going to be rather angsty... TigerGolden - a pairing where I feel truly sorry for poor Goldenflower. It's like BlueOak, all about the kits and not nearly enough emphasis put on the relationship between Tigerstar and Goldenflower. Oh, and for the record... I know that Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt hadn't been born when Tigerstar left ThunderClan, but it seemed to make my story flow better this way. My fic, my rules. So... here you go! On request from starryskywishes235... TigerGolden! **

**DISCLAIMER: This is another one of those poor pairings which everyone forgets... however, the fact that everyone forgets it doesn't entitle me to own it. T_T =sob=**

TigerGolden: Never Once Told Me

I fell for him. Don't ask me when - there wasn't a particular moment. It was... a gradual process. I just knew that I loved everything about him; his rippling muscles, his broad, powerful shoulders, his dark tabby pelt, his fierce, orange eyes, the way he wore his battle scars... I loved him, and that was it.

_Goldenpaw padded out of the apprentice den with Frostpaw next to her. I narrowed my eyes as she glanced at me and quickly ducked her head away again, embarrassment shining in her amber eyes._

_It was blindingly obvious that the little mousebrain liked me. Maybe I could make this work to my advantage..._

_"Hello, Goldenpaw." My mew was low. It worked like a dream - she looked up, startled, and Frostpaw let out a faint purr._

_"See you, Goldenpaw," she purred. Before she walked away, I heard her whisper, "Good luck!"_

And then I was carrying his kits. I was the proudest cat in ThunderClan when I found out. I thought that he loved me too - he had seemed thrilled enough when I told him, in a dignified, powerful way.

"You'll make a wonderful mother, Goldenflower," he had murmured to me. My heart had seemed to expand to fill my whole chest.

But now, when I look back on those uncomplicated, carefree times, he had never actually told me that he loved me. I had told him that I loved him - many, many times - but he had never once said it back.

_"Would you like to go hunting with me?" I asked innocently. Goldenpaw nodded shyly._

_"I'd like that very much," she whispered._

_I turned away for a heartbeat so that she wouldn't notice my snarl of triumph - this was too easy!_

"I love you, Tigerclaw," I had whispered to him one night, when I was very close to having my - our - kits.

"And I'm very lucky," he had mewed back.

Oh, he was clever in that way. I now realize that he hadn't been talking about me at all - and why would he be? He wasn't lucky to have me, he wasn't even _glad_ to have me - and I now know that I was not at all lucky to have him.

_By taking a mate, it would guarantee my acceptance into the Clan. Goldenpaw was a Clanborn she-cat through and through, she was liked and respected, no other toms were padding after her, and most importantly, she was blinded by her loyalty to the Clan and Bluestar. Even if I was plotting about how to kill Bluestar right under Goldenpaw's pretty little nose, she wouldn't suspect a thing._

_"You're very good at hunting," I praised her, as she brought down a squirrel. The pale ginger she-cat glowed, and I held back a derisive snort. How simply satisfied she was! All I had to do was shower her in compliments and she would be eating out of my paw._

He wasn't even there to witness the birth of his kits. He was too busy to help me name them. Too busy... back them I had dismissed it as being 'deputy duties'. After all, he had to put the Clan first, didn't he?

Too busy to visit his own kits?

The thought had been there, nagging at me, but I pushed it out of my head at once. It couldn't have meant anything, I thought. He was Clan deputy, and a very important, respected cat. Tigerclaw still loved me, didn't he?

Now I know that there wasn't any _still_. He had never loved me in the first place - getting a mate was just one way to become even more accepted into the Clan.

The day he revealed his evil intentions my heart broke. I couldn't believe it, as he stood there, narrowing his eyes, filled with malicious hate, at all of us. He didn't spare a second glance for me.

"Don't leave." My lips formed the words, but I didn't have the courage to say them out loud. I just quietly ushered Bramblekit and Tawnykit back into the nursery.

_As I was banished from ThunderClan, I purposely did not give even a glance to Goldenflower and the kits. I couldn't think about them any more. I didn't want to see the hurt in Goldenflower's eyes... No! _

_My eyes had brushed past her as I questioned Dustpelt, but I barely heard his answer. As soon as I realized that he, too, had rejected me, I bolted away before I could dwell any more on the emotion that had trapped me for a heartbeat._

From that moment on, my kits were my life. I was fiercely protective of the way the Clan stared at them. Fireheart especially. I had caught him gazing at Bramblekit particularly with undisguised fear. It wasn't Bramblekit's fault that he was the spitting image of his father - he barely remembered his father, let alone shared his dangerous ambition.

I was convinced that Fireheart had said something to Bluestar that influenced her decision to have him mentor Bramblepaw.

_So that Fireheart can keep a close eye on him,_ I guessed savagely. Not_ that he needs it._

And then, one sunrise, soon after the fire... Fireheart returned from the Gathering with troubling news.

Tigerclaw- no, Tiger_star_ was now leader of ShadowClan. My initial thoughts were that I was proud of my mate - I was glad for him. Then I caught myself.

What was I saying? Tigerstar had cared more for his ambition than for me - than for our kits! He was no longer my mate. He had tried to murder Bluestar, for StarClan's sake!

_I was being mousebrained. I was not some soft-hearted apprentice - or _kittypet_ - I was Tigerclaw, one of the most powerful cats in the forest._

_And I did_ not _fall in love._

I hadn't thought that my heart could break any more than it already had, but I was wrong. Some of my darkest hours were when I found out that Tawnypaw had abandoned ThunderClan for her father's Clan.

I was grief-stricken - and even more protective of Bramblepaw because of it. I was terrified that he would do the same as his sister.

Now Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw have left. No cat knows what has happened to them. Deep down, I have a lurking feeling that my last kit has deserted ThunderClan for good. Oh, I scare myself to sleep on these nights. Frostfur tries to comfort me, but I can't escape the thought... Even though Tigerstar is dead, my kits are in ShadowClan, and some day... I might have to fight them.

Oh, StarClan. Let Brambleclaw be safe, wherever he is. And keep Tawnypelt safe in ShadowClan. If this is what they want, let them be loyal to their Clan first. Don't let my mistake in trusting Tigerstar ruin these young cats' lives.

Please, StarClan, show mercy.

Even though Tigerstar never once told me he loved me.

**A/N/: The next chapter is going to be FireSand, on request from... well, the reviewer with no name, and dude1094. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you ;)**


	3. FireSand: Something To Love

**A/N/: 'K, as I told you last chapter, this is going to be FireSand. So, I'll give my thanks to Macey-the-Invisible, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Hannah Potter, dude1094, xXTorchskyXx, WolfSummoner93, Mistysprings, Rainstorm-Mosspath, and Larksong for reviewing, and let's start!**

**DISCLAIMER: This one's okay. (But I don't own it) Not as good as FireCinder (which I don't own either), but still good. (I still don't own it.)**

FireSand: Something to Love

Dustpaw was a good friend. I knew he felt something stronger than friendship for me. But _great StarClan_, I only wanted him to _be_ my friend! But he didn't seem to _get_ that! I hinted for moons that I didn't like him as any more than a friend, but my comments fell on deaf ears.

"Shall we go hunting, Dustpaw? That's what _friends _often do."

"Dustpaw, I wonder if either of us would ever find a mate someday? It wouldn't even necessarily have to be some cat we'd known for all our lives."

"If I had a mate, I would like him to be nice to every cat."

Because, if I was honest with myself, I was getting a bit tired of taunting Fireheart for being a kittypet. You wouldn't have been able to tell he used to be a kittypet if you hadn't known - he was as lean as a forest cat now, with rippling muscles that slid smoothly underneath his glossy ginger pelt...

"Why are you staring at the kittypet?" Dustpaw muttered to me, his mew sounding slightly sour. I blinked and turned away.

"I'm _not_," I snapped.

"O-okay." Dustpaw looked startled.

_There I go again!_ I cursed myself silently. _Stupid, mousebrained Fireheart, and his mousebrained good looks, and... Wait a heartbeat, did I just think that he had good looks? Fox dung!_

My irritating, irritating feelings! I decided to put the thought to the back of my mind and concentrate on being jealous of Fireheart and Greystripe - they were over a moon younger than us, yet they were warriors before Dustpaw and I! Yes, the feeling was jealousy... Nothing more, I convinced myself firmly.

***

I tasted the air.

"What can you scent?" Whitestorm asked.

"Fireheart," I mewed absentmindedly. Willowpelt's whiskers twitched in amusement, and I realized what I had said.

_Fox dung! _Ever since Fireheart and Greystripe had left to bring back WindClan on their warrior mission, Fireheart had, annoyingly, kept on invading my thoughts uninvited.

"Sandpaw, however much you miss Fireheart, this is a patrol, and Whitestorm asked you what you could scent," growled Tigerclaw. My fur prickled with embarrassment. "It may interest you to know Fireheart and Greystripe have been gone for a while now, and I, for one, cannot scent-"

"No, wait, Tigerclaw," Whitestorm interrupted him. His nose twitched, before he announced, "She's right."

I looked up, and tasted the air properly. Whitestorm was right - there _was _the scent of Fireheart and Greystripe nearby, along with...

"RiverClan!" cried Willowpelt. "They must be back, but I think they're being attacked!"

"Let's go," Tigerclaw mewed authoritatively. Willowpelt and Whitestorm nodded, and dashed off at once. I followed, thanking StarClan that my attraction to the flame-pelted warrior would go unnoticed this time.

Tigerclaw leaped down into the clearing with a ferocious yowl. My paws thudded on the ground as I jumped, spitting, into the fray.

I dived towards the spot where a brown tom was wrestling with Fireheart, but a RiverClan she-cat intercepted me before I could reach him. I twisted away from her flailing paws and landed blow after blow on her flanks, before giving a vicious squeal and trying to pin her down on the wet ground. We rolled over and over before a ginger paw batted the RiverClan warrior away from me.

I jumped up and spun around to hiss at the cat before I could even see who it was.

"I can win my battles without your help!"

The cat opened his jaws to explain and I realized that it was Fireheart. I felt a stab of disappointment somewhere in the region of my stomach - just like me to mess it up, _again_.

***

To try and make it up to Fireheart, I tried being friendlier. When Dustpaw taunted him about his kittypet roots, I couldn't do the same, knowing that I had been an inch away from death at the gorge, and that Fireheart had saved me.

Instead, I just glanced at him with a confused expression on my face, and turned away.

"What was that?" asked Dustpaw, bounding after me. His eyes were pleading. "We _always _make comments like that about Fireheart. He's a kittypet, remember? We don't like him. He's a kittypet, yet a warrior already, and he doesn't deserve it. He... he... S-Sandpaw?"

I said nothing. I knew that Dustpaw was desperately clawing to keep hold of me, but I couldn't help him. I couldn't help that Fireheart saving me had made me see him in a different light; I didn't just _like_ him.

"I'm sorry, Dustpaw," I mewed quietly, before turning and padding away. My throat felt like it was being constricted at losing my oldest friend, but... I just couldn't taunt Fireheart any more.

***

From then on, I got closer and closer to Fireheart. I think he was slightly confused at first, but over time I could see that he was falling for me. And, like it or not, he was dragging me down with him.

So, it wasn't love at first sight. Far from it. And I don't think Dustpelt ever truly forgave me, but we were definitely much friendlier towards each other after a few moons - and I breathed a sigh of relief when he began to express such an obvious interest in Fernpaw.

But it wasn't Sandpaw and Dustpaw, the inexperienced apprentices who teased kittypet-Firepaw about leading a soft life, any more. I had stripped back the first impression I had got of him, and found a courageous, spirited cat.

I had found something to love.


	4. AshSquirrel: Talking To Myself

**A/N/: Well, my awesome reviewers are Kye-Zhi, Wolfstorm7, Starry, dude1094, WolfSummoner93, Iceheart018, Macey-The-Invisible, Rainsky of ThunderClan, and hee. =crosses fingers= I don't hate this pairing. It's AshSquirrel, as requested by Lion's Song. I know, there are many AshSquirrel bashers out there, and I may get a ton of shrill-voiced indignant reviewers ready to express their hate for Ashfur after I upload this, but sometimes I really do think that Brambleclaw should die. There, I said it.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Squirrelflight would stop being so darn picky and both Brambleclaw and Ashfur would fall down deep, dark pits so that there's not so much screaming about who she should be with. She should be with Shrewpaw! Well, anyway, what does that say to you?**

AshSquirrel: Talking To Myself

_"We'd be great together, Squirrelflight, I know we would."_

I sighed, gazing across the clearing to where a certain dark ginger she-cat was chatting animatedly to her former mentor, Dustpelt. My tail lashed from side to side as I saw Brambleclaw making his way over to the two cats. At once, Squirrelflight forgot completely about Dustpelt and turned to finish her conversation with Brambleclaw.

Affronted at being ignored, Dustpelt stalked away from the two and glanced around the clearing, eyes narrowed. I quickly jumped up and hurried to the apprentice den to rouse my apprentice, Birchpaw; just because Dustpelt's mate was my sister didn't mean he wouldn't snap at me for 'sitting around camp doing nothing productive'.

"Birchpaw, get up," I mewed, prodding the light brown apprentice with a forepaw.

"Wait just a heartbeat..." muttered Birchpaw.

"No, you're getting up _now_," I mewed forcefully, grabbing him by the scruff.

"Okay, okay, stop it!" squealed Birchpaw. He glared up at me. "You _hurt_."

"Sorry." There was no reason to take out my anger on my apprentice, I reasoned with myself.

Birchpaw gave a sigh, but padded after me nonetheless.

"Hi, Ashfur, Birchpaw," Rainwhisker greeted us. "Want to come on patrol?"

"Sure," I nodded, glancing over to where Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw had been heartbeats before. This was a mistake - Squirrelflight was padding over to me, and I stiffened.

"Um... Hi, Ashfur," she mewed tentatively. I said nothing, simply staring right through her.

She let out a gasp of hurt as I turned pointedly and padded away.

"So, things didn't work out with Squirrelflight?" Rainwhisker's tone was sympathetic, but anger burned inside me.

"What are you mewing on about?" I hissed. My tail lashed back and forth furiously. "Rainwhisker, I don't want to talk about it."

The dark grey tom opened his jaws to say something more, but seemed to think better of it and simply dipped his head.

_Oh, Squirrelflight! What did I do wrong? _I wailed inwardly. _I don't want to hurt you - I love you, for StarClan's sake! But it's not my fault when you shake me away like a troublesome burr and turn instead to... _that_!_

I bit down so hard into a mouse that its bright blood stained my paws.

"Ashfur, what are you doing?" Birchpaw mewed in alarm.

"Stay out of my fur!" I snapped.

_This is just like Tigerstar and Goldenflower all over again, isn't it? You want to betray ThunderClan and kill Firestar, don't you?_ I hissed at Brambleclaw inside my head. _You're just taking a respected she-cat for a mate so that the Clan will trust you more, isn't that right? You don't really care about Squirrelflight at all, do you?_

The strength of my emotions scared me, but I couldn't stop them.

_I love Squirrelflight much more than you, fox dung!_

In my heart, I knew I'd struck right on the answer. It was true! Brambleclaw was following in his father's pawsteps and doing exactly what Tigerstar had done! But what Brambleclaw had done was, in my opinion, ten times worse. Goldenflower had never had a mate - no cat had ever loved her before Tigerstar.

_He's stolen Squirrelflight from me!_

I imagined bursting back into camp and calling the Clan together. Firestar would be angry, but I wouldn't care. I would tell the whole Clan of Brambleclaw's treacherous actions, then Firestar would forgive me. Squirrelflight was his daughter, after all - he must only want the best for her.

Brambleclaw would be furious that I had exposed him for who he truly was. Squirrelflight would fire up at him, and Brambleclaw wouldn't be able to deny any of his actions. Then Firestar would exile the dark tabby tom. He would consider attacking Firestar, but would think better of it, and rush out of camp, where a band of crows would get him... or a fox... or a badger...

I sank my claws into the ground, strange satisfaction flooding me as I pictured Brambleclaw's mangled body.

And then Squirrelflight would press close to me, and gaze up at me with those pools of green that were her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she would whisper. And I would forgive her, of course, and then we would become mates, and go on to have kits... Two, I decided, both ginger like Squirrelflight. One would be a tom and one would be a she-kit. I would come in to visit them every day, and Brambleclaw would become nothing but a half-forgotten memory.

At that heartbeat, I realized that my wanderings had taken me back to camp. Cats were flocking to the Highledge, and I realized that Firestar must have called a Clan meeting.

I glanced at Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw.

_Soon_, I promised myself. _Soon._

**A/N/: Poor Ashy! 'Cause, of course, we know what happens next... Brambleclaw becomes deputy. :( =sobs=**


	5. SwiftBright: No Opportunity

**A/N/: Thanks to my fantastic reviewers, Rainsky of ThunderClan, dude1094, WolfSummoner93, Lion's Song, Warriors-Skywing, Rainstorm-Mosspath (x2 - sorry for forgetting you last chapter), Iceheart018, and Kye-Zhi! Well, here we go, number five... (Only forty five left!) And this is, on request of .tuerzame. and WolfSummoner93, one of my personal favourites... SwiftBright!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Swiftpaw would never have died, and he and Cloudtail would have had this conflict over Brightheart!**

SwiftBright: No Opportunity

It was definitely _something_. I knew that, if nothing else. Fernpaw wouldn't go, and I knew that Ashpaw would say the same as his sister, so there was no hope there. Thornpaw was still a bit unsure, and Cloud_paw_ (I refused to use his warrior name) was, of course, out of the question.

But Brightpaw agreed with me. She listened to me. She was sweet, and sympathized with the fact that I was irritated not to get my warrior ceremony, although she must have been equally angry. I wanted to tell her how I felt, but... there was no opportunity.

All of us apprentices were fuming that Cloudpaw became a warrior before us. The stupid kittypet wasn't even Clanborn - _and _he had abandoned the Clan once already _and_ somehow stomached those disgusting rabbit pellets that kittypets call food. I was _older _than him, for StarClan's sake, and so were Brightpaw and Thornpaw.

Longtail, my mentor, had already told me why Cloudpaw had become a warrior anyway. It was very odd indeed, he said, that Fireheart was the Clan deputy, and that it was Fireheart's apprentice that was the only one in the den who had become a warrior. And, when we were on that patrol and those RiverClan warriors attacked us, I swear to StarClan that Fireheart sent _me_ back to camp deliberately.

I told Brightpaw all of this, but she seemed a little uneasy at all of the 'let's blame Cloudpaw' parts. Quickly, I mewed that it probably didn't mean anything. I'd lost enough as it was - I didn't want to lose Brightpaw too. But a nibbling, worrying sensation had crept into my belly... She couldn't be interested in Cloudpaw, could she?

In the end, it was only Brightpaw that agreed to go with me. Somehow, it felt better that way.

We crept out through the dirtplace. Cloudpaw was sitting 'guarding' camp with a smug expression on his face. My lip curled. Some guard he was.

"What about Cloudtail?" Brightpaw whispered to me, a note of fear creeping into her mew.

"Cloud_paw _can go and fall into a ditch," I hissed back forcefully. "Now, come on. If we manage to do this, Bluestar will have to make us warriors!"

In the half-light, I could see a glow of worry in Brightpaw's eyes, but I ignored it.

_Should I tell her now?_ I wondered. _But... is it Cloudpaw she...? Please, StarClan, no...! __She hates him, she hates him, she hates him, _I chanted inside my head, somehow thinking that if I thought it enough times, it would miraculously come true.

***

_Oh, Brightpaw... what have I done?_

My paws battered feebly against the dog's underbelly as I struggled to release myself.

_All of this has just come about from jealousy - pure jealousy._

The dog paused for a heartbeat and a ripped myself from underneath its claws, losing several clumps of fur in the process. I had a scratch above my eye and it was bleeding profusely, but I couldn't have cared less at the present moment.

Trying to confuse the massive, lumbering creatures, I weaved in and out of the trees. I was lucky - my ploy seemed to work. I glanced over at Brightpaw. My heart almost stopped.

She was slumped against a rock, and one side of her beautiful face was ripped to shreds, along with...

_Great StarClan, she's lost an eye!_

I felt dreadfully responsible. If Brightpaw died from her injuries, or, worse, was mocked every day of the rest of her life for them, I would never, ever forgive myself.

One of the dogs galumphed, howling, away into the trees. I paused for a heartbeat, gulping in lungfuls of air, before I spotted a dog charging towards Brightpaw, its tongue lolling, its dark, pitiless eyes hungry for the kill.

"No!" I yowled, charging forward at once, my exhaustion forgotten.

The dog stopped for a heartbeat, perplexed by my cry. I snatched the opportunity to hurtle into Brightpaw's flank. Quick as lightning, having no thoughts about the consequences, I grabbed her scruff in my mouth and hurled her across to the other side of the clearing.

_Please, StarClan, take me, but let Brightpaw live!_

A pair of slavering jaws fastened around my throat. Somehow, one thought came to my mind. I didn't even know if she'd be able to hear me... but there would be no other time to say it.

"Brightpaw!" I yowled. "I lo-"

But it was too late. The strong fangs had ripped into my throat.

It was all my fault.

But there wasn't even any opportunity to tell her...

That I loved her.


	6. DustSand: Climbing Trees

**A/N/: Thanks to Macey-The-Invisible, Starry, Swiftpaw of WindClan, mushieroxx, Iceheart018, WolfSummoner93, dude1094, Nianque, Meadowpaw, and Rainsky of ThunderClan for reviewing... I like this pairing... Not overloading on fluff, and fairly short. Suggested to me .tuerzame.. It's DustSand.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Dustpelt would have got together with Sandstorm, Firestar would be (against the warrior code) with Cinderpelt, and Ferncloud... =shrugs= Sorry, Ferncloud.**

DustSand: Climbing Trees

"Sandpaw?" My voice echoed softly into the cool night air. "Where are you?"

A few tail-lengths away, the pale ginger she-cat's head appeared from... the leaves of a tree above? "Hey, Dustpaw!"

"What are you doing?" I mewed slowly, puzzled, as I padded over to the tree.

"Well..."

I could sense Sandpaw's contagious exhilaration.

"I was chasing a squirrel, you see, and it ran up this tree, and I saw it using its little claws to climb, so I thought I'd try it too! And you know what? It's great up here!"

I sighed, but my heart was warmed. "Squirrels live in trees, mousebrain, not cats!"

"That's why I thought I'd show it to you first," explained Sandpaw. "I didn't know whether Whitestorm would think I was being mousebrained or not."

I purred in amusement. "Well, _I _think you're being mousebrained, but you're a very clever mousebrain."

Sandpaw blinked, trying to figure out how that worked. She shrugged. "Well, come on up here, then!"

"What makes you think I'd want to climb a tree?"

Sandpaw clawed her way to the edge of a thick branch, and her tail waved in amusement. "I'm up here?" she teased.

I purred, pretending to give up. "You got me."

But as I clawed my way up to the top of the nearest tree, I knew that I hadn't actually been joking. Sandpaw was my best friend, and I had no idea if she felt the same way, but I felt something... stronger than friendship.

"So?" Sandpaw mewed impatiently, kneading her forepaws on the branch. "How is it?"

For a few heartbeats, I didn't answer - I just lost myself to her green gaze.

"Dustpaw?"

"Oh, um, yes, it's great," I stuttered. I took a breath. "Listen, Sandpaw-"

"What in StarClan's name are you two doing here?"

Greypaw's voice cut me off. I jumped, rattling the branch, and Sandpaw was so startled that she lost her balance.

"Oof!" She fell onto the ground with a thud.

"Are you okay?" I called down.

"Fine." Sandpaw shook the scraps of dead leaf off her pelt and fixed Greypaw and Ravenpaw with an irritated glare. "Thanks a lot."

"Sorry," mewed Ravenpaw meekly. "We heard you sneak out, Sandpaw, and then you, Dustpaw..."

"Yeah, what's going on?" There was a spark of adventure in Greypaw's yellow eyes.

"Sandpaw here is climbing trees," I mewed, swiftly clawing my way down.

"Me?" Sandpaw's mew was indignant, but her eyes were soft. "_You_ agreed!" She headbutted me on the flank.

"Okay, okay, fine," I purred, rasping my tongue over her ear.

"Hey, you two are acting like mates!" Greypaw complained.

Sandpaw and I quickly sidestepped so that we were several foxlengths apart.

"Don't be mousebrained!" Sandpaw snapped.

"Mousebrained, am I?" Greypaw's eyes glimmered.

"Saying we're like mates is like saying... saying that Ravenpaw will someday become a loner, or that Tigerclaw will betray his Clan and run off to join ShadowClan!" I retorted.

"Or that a kittypet will lead ThunderClan when Bluestar is dead!" added Sandpaw.

"Okay." Greypaw's voice held the hint of a purr as he turned and started padding away, Ravenpaw close behind him. "Whatever you say."

I glanced at Sandpaw once our denmates' pawsteps had faded away. "That was completely ridiculous, right?"

"Absolutely," replied Sandpaw, a little too fast. "Mates... Greypaw's being worse than mousebrained."

I nodded swiftly.

"Well, we'd better get back to camp before some cat notices we're gone." Without waiting for an answer, Sandpaw trotted away at a rapid pace.

I followed more gradually, a warm glow spreading throughout my fur.

_One day, Sandpaw. One day..._


	7. AshLeaf: I Can't, Not Again

**A/N/: Thanks to my wonderful reviewers, Crazy Computer Vendetta, Meadowpaw, Iceheart018, unknown, dude1094, and Streamcloud-ReachForTheStars-! **

**Oh, and unknown, since you were anonymous, I want to answer your review here. You're entitled to your own opinion. If you hate AshSquirrel, and prefer SquirrelBramble, that's fine with me. But 'bleech!Everyone knows squirrelxBramble is so much better' doesn't really help me. So, if you do review again, could you at least point out what made the chapter so... bleech-worthy? So that I can improve it? Thanks.**

**This is another suggestion from .tuerzame.. Welcome to AshLeaf.**

**DISCLAIMER: Now I think about it, this would be such a wierd canon pairing... =dreams= Oh! Sorry! I don't own Warriors.**

AshLeaf: I Can't... Not Again

_I can't stop thinking about her... I can't... I can't... Squirrelflight..._

I padded desperately around camp, wishing I had a lively apprentice to train to take my mind off things. Now that Birchfall was a warrior, I felt a sense of strange loss that had nothing to do with losing Squirrelflight - not that that fact was helping in any way.

_I hate her so much... for making me feel this way... How could she tear me apart like that? How could she? Some day... I will make her pay..._

"Hunting," I snapped automatically at Thornclaw, who was standing guard, before he even had the chance to open his jaws. He gave me a startled look as I barged past him and raced away into the moonlit forest.

The lake... that would calm me. I had no intention of going hunting, after all. I wouldn't be able to catch a thing in my present state.

_There has to be something I can do... to stop her haunting my thoughts... I can't... I don't think... I can't take it any more!_

I rushed down to the water's edge, threw back my head, and gave a wordless, grief-filled yowl.

"Ashfur?"

I turned, my fur prickling with embarrassment. Leafpool was standing behind me, a wad of spiky-leaves herbs in her jaws. Her amber eyes glowed with concern and compassion, and for a heartbeat, I couldn't look away.

_What was that? That was like... when I used to look at Squirrelflight... but different... _

"A-are you okay?" Leafpool deposited the herbs on the ground and padded down slowly to sit beside me. "...You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"No, it's alright. I don't mind," I mewed quietly, finding to my surprise that I was telling the truth. I usually snapped at any cat who asked me how I was feeling. I gazed out onto the lake. It was inky black, reflecting all of the stars of Silverpelt. "If I told you I was fine, I would be lying."

Leafpool gave a long sigh. "Is it Squirrelflight?"

"Who else?" I was bracing myself to feel the usual anger that someone had asked about Squirrelflight, but... it didn't come. I was glad - I didn't want to feel fury at the gentle medicine cat.

"Don't worry - I know how you feel."

I turned my head to look at Leafpool in surprise. Her amber eyes were raised to the skies, and I could see some of the warriors of StarClan mirrored there. Then I remembered the WindClan warrior that Leafpool had run away with before the badger attack - hadn't his name been Crowfeather, or something like that?

"I had a love once. But... he doesn't love me any more. He has a mate, and a kit. But I haven't forgotten him. It pains me still, losing him..."

_You _do_ understand! _I wanted to yowl. But I kept silent.

"I had to put my duty to my Clan first." Leafpool turned her head to face me. There was warmth in the depths of her amber gaze. "Ashfur, I _know _how much you miss Squirrelflight. I know how much you must hate Brambleclaw - and trust me, I hate _his _new mate with a passion, so I can't blame you. But, Ashfur... you need to find something to... distract you. I have my medicine duties. You should find something that keeps you busy."

I couldn't tear my gaze away from hers. _I think I just found it._

Leafpool blinked. She looked away, and when she spoke, her voice was shaky. "Why not try to get another apprentice? You must be missing Birchfall."

_Apprentice? As if she cares about that,_ I thought, my eyes still fixed on her. I wondered how I could have been worried about having no apprentice just the last time I had been in camp. _She must have felt that too._

Leafpool rose to her paws, and cast me a final glance. The heartbeat our eyes locked for seemed to last several lifetimes. She shook her head as she turned away.

"Ashfur... I can't," she whispered. "I'm a medicine cat, I can't... Not again."

But as she padded away through the quiet forest, I kept my eyes on the spot where she had disappeared, finding myself comparing Squirrelflight to Leafpool.

_Squirrelflight is like fire - burning and all-consuming... and when you find yourself enjoying it... it burns out and leaves you cold and alone._

_But Leafpool... Leafpool is like water flowing smoothly over pebbles, calming and relaxing. And a stream is always there. It never leaves._

Suddenly, I found myself desperately thirsty, forgetting all about the flames.

"I'm not cold any more, Squirrelflight," I mewed quietly. "You can keep her, Brambleclaw - I don't care. I'll get my revenge one day, but... Now, revenge isn't my main priority. Not any more."

And I followed the trail from the lake back to camp, my head full of Leafpool and my nose still seeming to smell hints of her soft, wildflower-traced scent.


	8. ReedLeaf: A Broken Heart Would Be Better

**A/N/: Thanks to Swiftpaw of WindClan, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Iceheart018, dude1094, and Crazy Computer's Vendetta for reviewing! This is the last suggestion from .tuerzame.! Yes, I am updating twice in one day. Because I have so many pairings to write. I have eleven requested to me that I have yet to write, and thirteen that I have written yet but not uploaded. Oh well, anyway, here's another kind of crack-ish pairing... Welcome to ReedLeaf.**

**DISCLAIMER: If owned Warriors, Leafpool would have had a forbidden love with _Reedwhisker_, not that icky Crowfeather. (Sorry, Crow-lovers. Just don't like him.)**

ReedLeaf: A Broken Heart Would be Better

_"Reedpaw, watch out!" Mistyfoot warned._

_"Don't worry, I'll be fine." I called back. _

_"Reedpaw, the river's closer than it- Reedpaw!" Mistyfoot broke off into a shocked gasp as I stepped backwards into the water._

_"Help!" I coughed, forgetting my one swimming lesson in my panic. I gulped down several mouthfuls of water and let out a shrill wail of fear._

_Branches and debris knocked against me, foiling my feeble attempts at treading water. Desperately, I reached out and clung onto an overhanging branch before letting out another cry as the branch whipped against my shoulder, making me bleed._

_There was a splash beside me and I saw a flash of blue-grey fur beside me. Relief surged inside me - Mistyfoot!_

_But another wave of the strong river current washed over me, and with the wave came a wave of blackness that I could not hope to fight._

_***_

_I let out a cough. My shoulder hurt. I gave a faint cry of pain._

_"Lie still." I heard Mistyfoot's voice. "You're going to be okay."_

_I felt two tongues rasping over my fur, licking it the wrong way. Another tongue joined it, on my shoulder - I held back a whimper, as it stung. I heard Mothwing's voice, and then a pair of paws were patting something down onto my shoulder._

_"That's fine," mewed a soft voice that I didn't recognize, but one I instinctively trusted. "Reedpaw, do you hurt anywhere else?"_

_I coughed again. "No," I replied. "Just my shoulder."_

_"I think you're lucky," the soft voice mewed._

_My eyes fluttered open. Hawkfrost was standing nearby, growling at his sister, Mothwing, while Mistyfoot was casting me an anxious glance. There was another cat, too - a brown tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws, to whom I assumed the beautiful voice belonged. I gazed at her open-mouthed for a heartbeat, forgetting the pain in my shoulder, and wishing with all my heart that she was a RiverClan cat._

_"Reedpaw, can you stand up?" the brown tabby asked. I was right - the voice had belonged to her. I heaved myself to my paws by way of an answer. I leaned on Mistyfoot with my uninjured shoulder._

_"Think you can make it back to camp?" asked Hawkfrost, his ice-blue eyes narrowed as though daring me to say no._

_I nodded quickly. "Thanks..." I mewed to the brown tabby she-cat, wondering where she was from. I opened my jaws and let her wildflower-touched scent waft onto my scent glands. "You have ThunderClan scent!" I mewed in surprise._

_She nodded. "That's right. My name's Leafpaw. I'm Cinderpelt's apprentice." She turned to speak to Mistyfoot, but I just kept on looking at her, listening to her soft, gentle voice, and taking in her subtle ThunderClan scent._

_Mistyfoot gave me a nudge, and we padded away. Before we reached a clump of reeds, though, I couldn't help glancing back._

_"Leafpaw..."_

***

I sighed, gazing across the border as I often did. I could smell that Leafpool had been here recently. Her scent was stale, and mingling with another... WindClan?

"What's a WindClan warrior doing here?" I muttered to myself. I paused to draw in Leafpool's scent more thoroughly. She and the WindClan cat seemed to have been very happy, and a deep emotion channelled through the two of their scents. Jealousy reared in me as I realized - it must be that WindClan warrior I often saw with her at Gatherings!

_She loves him!_ I thought wildly. _She... she..._

I knew that it wouldn't have worked between us anyway. I was a RiverClan warrior, and she was a ThunderClan medicine cat. She probably remembered me - if she did at all - as the clumsy young apprentice who needed saving when he had fallen in the river.

But it was still a serious blow to me. I wanted her to love me so badly, it _hurt_.

I was too loyal to the warrior code. I was unwilling to risk my place in RiverClan for a relationship that would have broken the warrior code twice over.

But her soft voice and wildflower scent had invaded my dreams too many times for me to ignore.

"Leafpool..." I murmured.

I would have protected her. I would have loved her with a quiet, fierce intensity. But I didn't make my feelings known enough. Because I was _afraid_. I was a coward.

I was afraid of breaking the warrior code, and I was afraid that she wouldn't love me back, that she would break my heart.

But even a broken heart would be better than the empty feeling inside me.

_Oh, Leafpool. I can't believe I didn't tell you._

I sighed a long sigh, as a quiet breeze that ruffled my fur swept the last, faint traces of Leafpool's scent away.


	9. JayCinder: That Feeling

**A/N/: My excellent reviewers are .tuerzame., dude1094, Rosalie-Hale-Cullen, Mysticbreeze, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Benjy, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, pat8881099921, Iceheart018, Spottedtalon, books-n-cookies, Rainstorm-Mosspath, and WolfSummoner93. Now, this one was suggested to me by Jayfeather Fan19, Swiftpaw of WindClan, mushieroxx, Nianque, and Spottedtalon. Here we go, JayCinder.**

**DISCLAIMER: Poor angsty 'lil blind Jayfeather... I like this pairing, but JayHalf Moon is the best of the Jayfeather pairings! 'Nfortunately I don't own anything.**

JayCinder: That Feeling

"Where are we _going_?" I asked. Well, more like I _groaned_, really.

"You'll see!" Cinderheart called back, a hint of mysterious humour sparking her mew. She paused. "Well, you won't, you'll sense it, but..."

I sighed. "If we're going, can we _go_?"

"Sure, sure!"

Cinderheart seemed very excited, I noted. It radiated off her in waves and the impact her paws made of the ground sounded eager and energized.

"Now I know who stole the catmint last night..." I muttered to myself.

"It wasn't my fault!" Cinderheart whined, sounding like a kit. I jumped - she hadn't been supposed to hear that. "It just smelt so _good_... And I didn't take much!"

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood." I rolled my sightless eyes. "Now, are we going, or not?"

"Fine, fine!" Cinderheart dashed on ahead, leaving me to stumble along behind.

"Hey!" I mewed, annoyed. "Slow down a little!"

"I thought you were the cat who never wanted any help?" Cinderheart teased.

"I-" I began to protest before I realized that Cinderheart was purring.

"Stupid furball," she mewed affectionately, touching her nose to my muzzle. I blinked at the fondness behind the gesture - even Hollyleaf and Lionblaze didn't treat me like this.

"Er..." I couldn't think of anything to say. This was new - usually I had some cutting remark ready on the tip of my tongue. But not this time.

"We're almost there," promised Cinderheart.

"Okay," I replied, dazed. For once I didn't object as the reincarnated she-cat used the lightest brushes of her whiskers on my face to guide me. Every time her fur brushed mine I felt a strange tingling.

"We're here!" announced Cinderheart. I heard the patter of her pawsteps as she turned to face me. "What do you think?"

I twitched one of my ears up. I could hear the gentle chattering of a stream running over round pebbles.

"Are we... somewhere near the Moonpool?" I asked.

"Yes," replied Cinderheart. "This is the place I often come to wind down. It's very peaceful. Sometimes, I hear voices whispering to me - it reminds me of the Moonstone."

My whiskers twitched - this was Cinderpelt speaking now. "Cinderheart, you've never been to the Moonstone."

"Oh." Cinderheart's tail flicked against my flank in confusion. "Well, maybe it's what I imagine the Moonstone to be like."

"Maybe," I replied, secretly knowing that what Cinderheart 'imagined' the Moonstone to be like would be exactly what the Moonstone _was_ like.

I heard Cinderheart's paws thumping down onto the ground as she lay down on the grassy ground. I settled myself next to her. A bird called to another in the distance.

Cinderheart was right - this place _was_ peaceful.

"So, why did you decide to show me this place?" I asked.

"Erm... I don't know," Cinderheart admitted, although awkwardness was pulsing off her in waves. "I just thought you'd like-"

"Come on, Cinderheart, don't lie to me," I interrupted her impatiently. "I can sense your embarrassment like it's my own."

"No, no, really!" Cinderheart protested.

_I hate to do this by force,_ I sighed inwardly. I guessed Cinderheart wasn't as well-adapted to blocking her emotions as Leafpool. Mentally, I reached out a paw, and delved into Cinderheart's memories.

Cinderheart - that fluffy grey-pelted she-cat _must_ be Cinderheart - was lying in the medicine cat's den staring at me. My back was turned - I was sorting herbs. I felt a prickle of embarrassment - had Cinderheart really been gazing at me all that time, without me even noticing? There was a soft look in her clear blue eyes, and my belly flipped over. It was an odd sensation that I couldn't place.

I blinked, and darkness slammed down on my vision. I was blind again, and lying near the Moonpool stream with Cinderheart next to me. Her fur brushed mine, and I felt it like a small shock - but not a bad one - each time.

I guessed that I would work out what Cinderheart and I had been feeling, in time. After all, I had figured out lots of more complicated things - I had figured out who our _parents_ were, for StarClan's sake!

But, now, I was just contented to lie here with Cinderheart.


	10. FireCinder: You Can't Extinguish Love

**A/N/: Thanks so so so so so so so so much to my reviewers, dude1094, Iceheart018, Mysticbreez (NOT the same person as Mysticbreeze), Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Swiftpaw of WindClan, and KatLover26! Yay!!! One of my favourite pairings is up now ;D On request by dude1094, Nianque, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, and Spottedtalon, it's FireCinder! This takes place in Forest of Secrets, after Sandstorm earns her warrior name but before Cinderpelt decides to become a medicine cat. Oh, and we're pretending that Fernpaw was an apprentice a book early, got it? (This time I actually looked it up - I'm sure I got it right)**

**DISCLAIMER: Okay, who _doesn't _love this pairing? So why didn't the Erins make something other than smallish hints out of it? Or at least made LittleCinder canon! So, yeah, after that rant, did you guess it? No, I don't own Warriors.**

FireCinder: You Can't Extinguish Love

I gave a tiny, light sigh.

"Something wrong, Cinderpaw?" Yellowfang asked absentmindedly, sorting borage leaves from their roots.

I shook my head. "Nothing important."

I turned over, ignoring the stabbing pains in my leg. Anything to get away from the sight of Fireheart and Sandstorm sharing tongues. Okay, so that wasn't a _loving _action, as such - cats shared tongues all the time - but there was something about the more-than-friendliness in Fireheart's green gaze, about the caring way his tongue rasped over the pale ginger she-cat's flank that I couldn't bear.

Ever since Fireheart had saved her life at the gorge... the two had been getting closer. Closer and closer...

And I loathed it.

I could tell that Dustpelt did, too. The way he gazed at Sandstorm with obvious admiration... except when she was with Fireheart.

Then his heart became blackened with envy.

I felt sorry for Dustpelt. Like me, he didn't deserve this pain. But what could either of us do?

Sandstorm was a well-respected she-cat, and Fireheart's kittypet roots were long forgotten now. A relationship between the two would be looked on favourably by the rest of the Clan. Besides, I had already caught Dustpelt snatching glances at Fernpaw. Another happy couple.

No cat would look twice at the crippled apprentice. The burden on the Clan. I wouldn't even come _close _to competing with Sandstorm for Fireheart's affections, although my heart ached with love for the flame-pelted tomcat.

I blinked. _Did I just think that?_ I asked myself. _Do I really... love him?_

The thought just dragged my spirit down further. _Oh, Fireheart, why did I have to love you? Why did that monster have to come along at that moment? Why did Sandstorm have to suddenly express such an interest in you? Why did you have to save her life, Fireheart? She taunted you for moons about your kittypet roots! Why didn't you just let her _die_?_

As soon as I had thought it I banished the thought from my mind, horrified. What was I thinking? I didn't want Sandstorm _dead_! Did I?

_No,_ I thought furiously, cursing myself. Was this what jealousy had done to me? _What have I become?_ I thought, miserable. _I want to see him happy, don't I? He can't be happy with an apprentice with a contorted leg. He can be happy with Sandstorm. Let him be!_

But a flame still burned within my soul. A spark of love for Fireheart.

But I squashed it. I tried my best to extinguish it completely... Firestar didn't know how close I was to 'accidentally' losing Sandstorm when she gave birth to Fireheart's kits, after I had become the medicine cat. It weighed heavily on me for the rest of my life, how close I had been. It disturbed me every time I looked at my apprentice, one of their daughters, knowing that the only thing that had stopped me had been the fact that I knew Firestar would have been devastated.

One of the worst things was, I _knew_ how Leafpool felt when she fell in love with Crowfeather. I realized that she had fallen more deeply, and more dangerously, in love with the grey-furred WindClan warrior than I had with Firestar.

Because I had tried to cancel out my love, trying to make Firestar happy.

He was happy. He was happy with Sandstorm.

But I couldn't help wondering what would have happened if I hadn't been crippled by that long-gone monster. Would Squirrelflight and Leafpool have been our kits instead? Would my apprentice not have been my apprentice at all, but my daughter?

I knew that Yellowfang had secretly known. But she had thought that I had left behind my love. That I had moved on.

I had tried. Oh, StarClan knows, I tried! But putting my Clan first had tolled heavily on me, and I regretted it with every pawstep.

Because I know now.

You can't extinguish love.

**A/N/: Wow. I didn't mean to make Cinderpelt that dark... Well, erm, please review...**


	11. SquirrelBramble: Absurd

**A/N/: Thanks to my amazingness reviewers, Storms-Are-My-Nature, rhoanna, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Macey-The-Invisible, Starry, dude1094, pat8881099921, Iceheart018, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Rainstorm-Mosspath, and Larksong! Okay, here it is! Three people have been requesting it; Macey-The-Invisible, Iceheart018, and Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Rainsky of ThunderClan. SquirrelBramble!**

**DISCLAIMER: Squirrel_paw_ is pure coolness. Squirrel_flight _I hate. So, yeah, I don't own, or else Shrewpaw would never have died D:**

SquirrelBramble: Absurd

I stifled a purr, gazing warmly at the two sleeping cats in front of me. Their tails were twined together.

"What is it?" asked Stormfur sleepily.

"Nothing," I whispered back to him. "Sorry I woke you. I just noticed Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw." I flicked my tail towards the two slumbering ThunderClan cats.

Stormfur gave a slightly annoyed snort. "I'm going to find Midnight," he hissed, before jumping to his paws and stalking away.

_Wh-what did I say? _I wondered, bewildered. My brother wasn't usually such a grumpy furball. I shrugged to myself and gazed over at the huge expanse of crashing water. The first pale claws of streaky dawn light were slowly creeping up the sky. I was glad that we had found the sun-drown-place at last, but I had the feeling that this journey had brought us all closer together.

_First me and Crowpaw..._ I thought. _Now I can see that Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw are falling for each other. What's next - Tawnypelt and Stormfur?_

"Huh?"

I glanced over at Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw again. The dark ginger apprentice quickly shot to her paws and blinked at me sheepishly.

"Well, it was cold last night!" she protested. I purred.

"Of course," I replied knowingly. "Squirrelpaw, every cat here knows how much you like Brambleclaw. You don't have to hide it."

"I'm not hiding anything!" mewed Squirrelpaw indignantly. "That's absurd - he's a grouchy, bossy furball."

She sped away before I could mew another word.

***

_That's ridiculous,_ I tried to persuade myself. _Me, and him! Feathertail's being absurd. Absurd, absurd, absurd._

I was so intent on my thoughts I wasn't looking where I was going.

"Ouch!" I stumbled into a tree.

I blinked. Stars danced in front of my vision. Quickly, I shook my head to rid myself of them.

Now there was an angry buzzing in my ears.

_It wasn't that bad of a fall,_ I thought, puzzled. _So what...?_

I gasped, gazing above my head. _Mouse dung! Bees!_

At once, I raced away, the bees following.

"Ow!" I cried, my paw slipping from underneath me as one of the bees stung it. I attempted to run on three paws while trying to get the bee's sting out of my paw, but it wasn't long before I tripped on a loose stone, not having all four paws to balance me. The bees zoomed in with an infuriated droning.

"Ouch! Ow! That hurts! Stop it!" I complained, trying to swat the black-and-yellow striped bees away with one paw, which only resulted in a painful sting on the soft flesh of my pad.

I hopped backwards, trying to pull the stings out of my paws, but I had forgotten about the nearby stream.

"This is great, just great..." I muttered, as the water soaked through my fur. "Well, at least it got rid of the bees..."

"What in StarClan's name are you doing?" Brambleclaw was standing nearby, a limp mouse in his jaws.

"I'm having a wash," I snapped sarcastically, tugging at the sting in my paw. I winced as a spurt of bright red blood followed. "What do you think, mousebrain?"

"Are you okay?" mewed Brambleclaw gently, dropping the mouse on the ground and approaching the water's edge. "Do you want some help?"

I gave a sigh, and stepped out of the water. "Fine." My mew softened. "Thank you."

Brambleclaw lifted up my paw with his teeth and pulled out the sting. A few drops of blood trickled out. I rasped my tongue over my paw.

"Better?" asked Brambleclaw.

"Much," I agreed. I shook some of the water from my pelt. "I'm still wet, though."

Brambleclaw pressed himself against my side, and rasped his tongue across my fur.

"But you'll get wet, too," I protested.

Brambleclaw shrugged. "I don't mind."

I blinked. "Brambleclaw... thank you again."

"That's fine," replied the dark tabby tom.

My eyes glowed. Maybe Feathertail's theory wasn't so absurd after all.


	12. TawnyRowan: When You Left

**A/N/: Thanks to my fantastical reviewers, Iceheart018 and Swiftclaw! Okay, so this one was wanted by Mistysprings, Kye-Zhi, and Rainsky of ThunderClan. So... time for TawnyRowan!**

**DISCLAIMER: Okay - ROWANCLAW IS A TOM IN THIS!!! Got it? That was so confusing... I hate the Erins for that. And the fact that Heavystep has died at least two flipping times but is still around. And how is Stonestream an elder?! He was an apprentice in Dawn! If I owned Warriors, I wouldn't have made so many mistakes!**

TawnyRowan: When You Left

So many times in our lives, you have left.

Every day that you are gone, I miss you.

The first time you left was when we still lived in the old forest. It was just admiration back then. I just admired the soft ripple of your tortoiseshell pelt, and the easy way your muscles respond when you track your prey.

When you left, no cat knew where you had gone. I was disappointed... I thought that you had gone back to ThunderClan.

When you returned, I could have yowled in joy. But I couldn't... you were the half-Clan ShadowClan cat that no other cat trusted. So I covered up my attraction by sneering at you.

I loved the way that you strived to prove your loyalty. The way that you never gave up. When we arrived at the lake, I continued taunting your half-Clan heritage, calling you disloyal when you broke up a fight between me and your brother.

But I couldn't bear that look you gave me. Scathing. Like you were telling me to grow up.

I couldn't bear it any more.

So I stopped.

One day, it just burst out.

We were on the same patrol, and you expressed concern because ThunderClan and ShadowClan were fighting over a barren stretch of land. I had made some mousebrained remark. Then your eyes had filled with a mixture of anger and hurt.

"Why are you always trying to put me down? I'm loyal to _ShadowClan_, don't you know that?"

I think that's what you said. And then, it just... came out.

"Tawnypelt, I love you!"

That was... embarrassing, to say the least. But it got better after that.

The best day of my life was the day our kits were born.

Every other cat in ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan... even _ShadowClan_... was shocked about what we named the dark brown tom in our litter.

Tigerkit.

But I knew that it was Tawnypelt's way of giving her father a second chance - a second chance in our son. And I loved her even more for that.

The second time you left was soon after the kits were born. That was the least painful time. I knew where you were.

But that didn't stop me missing you with every heartbeat, every pawstep. It didn't stop me from seeing your beautiful, glowing green eyes every time I closed my eyes. And the mountains suddenly seemed to offer a million potential dangers - suppose you slipped and hit your head on a rock?

I was proud of you for going - no cat could deny that. Blackstar wasn't happy about it, though - nor was Russetfur. They showed their displeasure by wearing the skin off my pads. It seemed that every patrol had me on it, dawn, sunhigh, and sunset. They sent me out to hunt whenever I got back. Ivypaw, my apprentice, should have been made a warrior long before she was, but it seemed that I 'needed to train her' more.

I was relieved when you returned. You were so pleased to see me, and our kits.

But the third time you left... that's now.

Where are you? Will I ever see you again?

Our kits are gone, too. If you were leaving, couldn't you at least have told me?

Is it because of Sol?

Believe me, I hate him as much as you must. He's stopping Blackstar - yes, I refuse to call him Blackfoot - from believing in our warrior ancestors. He's destroying the ShadowClan I grew up in.

I keep finding myself turning to ask you something on a patrol, instead seeing Russetfur, or Smokefoot, or Snowbird. My heart aches every time that happens.

The kits, too. I take a glance at the apprentice den, seeing only Redpaw, Scorchpaw, Olivepaw, Owlpaw and Shrewpaw there, and thinking for a heartbeat that our kits are just out with their mentors, before I remember.

StarClan keep you safe.

And StarClan, please keep you happy.

I love you, Tawnypelt... just like I yowled at you that day...

**A/N/: Quick announcement - I only have two spaces for new pairings left. Yes, I have had forty eight suggestions (including the BlueOak that I wanted). So, if you want a pairing featured on here, tell me now! Before it's too late...**


	13. GreySilver: Just A Memory

**A/N/: Thanks to my (several) reviewers, Oo-Rainpath-oO, WolfSummoner93, dude1094, xXTorchskyXx, Dreamsilver, Moonstreak1, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, VioletteRose, Ireview, Macey-The-Invisible, Iceheart018, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Kye-Zhi, Rainsky-of-ThunderClan, Raven Wolfcall, Spottedtalon, Black Rabbit-Chan, and rhoanna! Well, this pairing was suggested by Rainstorm-Mosspath, Kye-Zhi, mushieroxx, and Spottedtalon. It's very, very short. I apologize. It's a drabble. And it's a forbidden love that we're all familiar with... GreySilver!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Stormfur would have been the silver cat and died in Moonrise instead of Feathertail. Honestly.**

GreySilver: Just A Memory

I listen. And I watch. I wait.

I don't even know why.

It was a few snatched heartbeats.

And in the end...

It only ended in pain.

For both of us.

And our kits.

But I remember it too well.

I remember the feel of his fur pressed against mine.

I remember the intensity of love in his yellow eyes.

I remember his deep purr.

And my heart swelled every time I saw him.

And afterwards, as I watched him...

I felt his pain of loss like it was my own - and it was.

I saw the wild grief in his eyes, even though he tried to hide it.

I heard his aching breaths, harsh and ragged, as he replayed my dying moments over and over again.

And my heart ached every time I watched him.

But now... He may have finally... found happiness.

He still loves me. He still loves our kits. But there is another.

I am happy for him... I _want_ him to be happy... and yet...

I feel... he is forgetting...

Am I just a memory, bleeding out my life on the riverbank?

Is our daughter just a faint memory, disappearing from her Clan one day, never to return?

Did you leave the memory of our son behind in the mountains?

Remember me...

Greystripe...

***

I remember listening.

And watching.

And waiting.

For my love.

My forbidden love.

That only ended in loss.

But I remember it too well.

I remember the drops of water that she flicked playfully at me after swimming across the river to see me.

I remember the glow of her silver fur in the moonlight at every Gathering.

I remember her beautiful, flowing whisper as she told me that she was expecting my kits.

And I felt like my head was full of stars every time I glanced at her.

But then... afterwards...

My head was only full of the blood that spilled out of her as she died... died... died... and left me.

My heart felt as though it had split down the middle.

As though sharp claws had torn it apart.

And now... my heart has healed.

It has healed awkwardly, and not properly, it is true...

But it has healed.

But I can't forget her.

There is a pain...

Like I have been running too far...

In my chest.

It will be there forever.

It's the agony of losing her...

The agony of losing our daughter...

And the agony of losing our son.

But most of all...

It's her.

She may think that I have forgotten her.

That my new mate is my life now.

But she hold a special place in my heart.

She is not just a memory.

She is...

Silverstream.

**A/N/: Okay, before I forget, I'm going on holiday for a week, so don't expect any updates any time soon. There _might_ be one tomorrow, but I'm not making any promises. Oh, and I have fifty suggestions, so don't review with any more, please!**


	14. StormBrook:More Than Just The Silver Cat

**A/N/: Thanks to my amazing reviewers - Iceheart018, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Jokegirl, Dreamsilver, Swiftfang, Benjy, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Lunarhowl, Oo-Rainpath-oO, and Spottedtalon - for clicking the little green and white button and writing words! Okay, so people have been suggesting this too me left, right, and centre; Rainstorm-Mosspath, Kye-Zhi, Wolfstorm7, mushieroxx, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Larksong... It's StormBrook.**

**DISCLAIMER: Flareon ran up to some random mountains and transformed into a cat.  
"Did you know, you and Stormfur are the main characters in this oneshot?"  
Brook, being friendly (as she didn't care when six half-drowned strangers arrived near her cave) mewed, "Oh! So, do you own Warriors?"  
Flareon, suddenly annoyed, yelled, "NO!!! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT?!?!**

StormBrook: More Than Just The Silver Cat

At first, it was just because he was supposed to be the silver cat. I was as terrified as any other Tribe cat of Sharptooth, terrified that I would be next, or some cat that I loved, and I was desperate for some cat to save us. My older brother, Talon, and two more of my Tribemates had been selected to go and kill Sharptooth. No more had been heard from them for several moons, and they were suspected to be dead.

So I was relieved - not to mention intrigued - when the six strangers turned up. There was one silver cat. The whole Tribe rejoiced, but the six cats seemed confused.

I should have told him, I admit it. We should have told all of them. But we were scared that they would find the task too daunting and leave us to our fate.

When he found out... he was heartbroken. He thought I had used him. But I hadn't. I tried to approach the other five cats, but the small dark grey tom spat at me, and the ginger she-cat raised her hackles, while the older three turned away from me. They all thought that I had betrayed him.

But I didn't care that he was the silver cat. I didn't care. I loved the way he hunted, like he had lived in the mountains all his life. I loved the ripple of his dark grey pelt, silver in moonlight. I loved the warmth in his amber eyes when he looked at me... Well, the warmth in his eyes when he _used _to look at me.

We let the other five cats go, but he had to stay. It tugged at my heart, because he was so sad. I wanted him to leave, if that would make him happy.

Then he escaped.

I was glad that he was with his friends again - but fearful. Now there was no legendary silver cat, destined to destroy Sharptooth. Now all our days would be lived out in fear. I was also miserable, because he had left thinking me a traitor. I longed for him to gaze at me with those tawny eyes once again. I longed to share caught-prey with him after a day of hunting. I longed to give the close comfort with him - or as he called it, 'sharing tongues'.

He came back of his own accord only a few days later. The five other journeying cats were with him - as well as Talon, Rock, and Bird! I could hardly believe my eyes. Stoneteller was angry, of course, because he had banished them until they had defeated Sharptooth. But no other cat minded.

Talon had a plan. A plan to lure Sharptooth to the cave, so that we could kill him.

But that was the night we found out that he wasn't the silver cat at all.

Sharptooth was dead, but no cat was joyful. Every cat mourned for her death - the _real_ silver cat. The small dark grey tom looked especially grief-stricken. And somehow, I just knew that I was forgiven. It was an unspoken agreement, but he just came up to me, raw sorrow in his eyes, and pressed his fur against mine. That was the only light moment of the whole night.

When he and his five - no, _four_ - friends left our Tribe, I still wished for him back. But I knew that he no longer thought of me as disloyal to him. The thought comforted me. As long as he was happy, so was I.

So I could hardly believe my eyes when he returned. There were many more of them this time, and they were all looking for a new home. Apparantly, their old one had been destroyed. I didn't really understand it, but I was just delighted at his return.

As the time of their departure drew nearer, my spirits sank lower and lower. I asked him if we could go on just one more hunting trip together, to which he agreed.

"Brook," he mewed to me, after we had brought down an eagle, "can we talk?"

I nodded, confused but willing. "Of course."

He sat down. He blinked a few times, and took a deep breath, as though willing himself to say something. "I want to stay with the Tribe," he burst out suddenly. "If Stoneteller will have me, of course."

I was taken aback. "But your home is with RiverClan!" My protests were feeble. Inside I was singing like a bird, joy bubbling up inside me. He wanted to stay, he wanted to stay, he wanted to stay...

He shook his head. "No. My mother is dead. My sister is dead. My father has been captured by Twolegs, and is most likely dead. I feel more at home in the mountains than I do next to the riverbank."

"What about the friends you journeyed with? Squirrelpaw, Brambleclaw? Tawnypelt? Crowpaw?"

He shrugged. "Once we divide into our seperate territories in our new home I'll have to say goodbye to them anyway."

I studied his face carefully. I think that this was more difficult for him than he was letting on. I padded over to sit next to him. "You're absolutely sure?"

He looked up and nodded once. "My home is among the rocks, and narrow paths of the mountain. And more importantly, Brook Where Small Fish Swim," he paused for a heartbeat, "My home is with you."


	15. BerryHoney: Can't You Leave Me Alone?

**A/N/: I'm ba-ack! Thanks to dude1094, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Rainsky of ThunderClan, feathercloud13, Devil's Child 2090, rhoanna, EeveeCelebi749, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Rainpaw, Spottedtalon, Iceheart018, Raven Wolfcall, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Macey-The-Invisible, Swiftpaw of WindClan, flyingchicken, WolfSummoner93, and Remember The 90's Cartoons for reviewing! Okay, now we've got a little almost hopeless one sided thing going on here. Suggested by Kye-Zhi and Swiftclaw - HoneyBerry.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors Berrynose would have stayed as the cool 'lil Berrypaw we all know and love.**

HoneyBerry: Can't You Leave Me Alone?

I sighed. There she was. _Again_. Watching me. _Yet again_.

"Why can't she just leave me alone?" I muttered. I padded over to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a small chaffinch in my jaws. As soon as I padded away to eat it, Honeypaw shot over to the fresh-kill pile and turned over every single piece of prey with one of her front paws. She looked up, crestfallen, before dashing over to her mentor, Sandstorm.

"Sandstorm," she began. "Can we go hunting? And maybe catch a chaffinch that I can eat?"

Sandstorm looked puzzled. "What's wrong with the prey on the fresh-kill pile at the moment?"

"Oh, nothing," Honeypaw assured her. "I just... erm... want to eat a chaffinch." Her eyes darted over to me for a heartbeat, and then back to the pale ginger she-cat.

"Don't be mousebrained," Sandstorm replied. "Just eat a mouse or something, Honeypaw."

I sighed. "I call that _obsessed_."

"What?" Birchfall padded out of the warrior's den and cocked his head.

"Honeypaw," I growled.

"Oh." Birchfall's eyes glimmered in understanding and amusement.

"It's _not funny_!" I hissed. "I am _sick_ of that she-cat following me around!"

"Then go and tell her," Birchfall suggested.

I stood up. "I think I will, actually."

Birchfall's whiskers quivered. "Can't wait to see this."

I took a few pawsteps towards the apprentice den, where Honeypaw was animatedly chattering with Hazeltail. Honeypaw didn't seem aware of the fact that Hazeltail kept glancing towards the entrance to camp, and was slowly but surely edging away.

"And do you know, when he came back into camp, he actually _looked_ at me!" Her amber eyes shone. "I think he likes me, Hazeltail, I really do."

_Yeah, well, you think wrong then, don't you?_ I thought silently to myself. I was about to take another pawstep forward when I heard what she said next.

"Hazeltail, I think I might be in love."

My eyes widened. In _love_?

I glanced back at Birchfall, giving him a look that said _what do I do?_

Birchfall shrugged, his eyes as large as mine.

"Berrynose!"

I heard a voice squeal my name and I groaned.

"Are you okay? Do you have a stomach ache?" Honeypaw asked, concern flowing into her amber eyes. I glanced at Hazeltail. She shrugged and began to pad away, towards the fresh-kill pile.

_Thanks a lot... _I thought. _You're supposed to be my sister! _I turned my head, trying to signal to Birchfall. _Help!_

Birchfall jerked his head towards Honeypaw. I looked down at the light brown apprentice. She was now babbling on about how I should go and see Leafpool if I felt ill.

"Listen, Honeypaw..." I began, wondering how I was going to say it. If she really was in love with me, I didn't want to go and break her heart or anything daunting like that.

"Yes," she mewed, suddenly serious. Her amber gaze bored into mine. "I would _love_ to go hunting with you."

_What the...? When in StarClan's name did I ask her that?_

But it was too late to backtrack now.

"We can catch that chaffinch that I wanted to!" she mewed excitedly.

"I've got an idea," I put in quickly. "Why don't we ask Birchfall to come along with us?"

"Erm..." Honeypaw glanced over my shoulder. "I don't think Birchfall wants to..."

I twisted my head to peer over my shoulder. Birchfall was now in the middle of sharing tongues with Whitewing, and it didn't look like they would take kindly to being disturbed.

"Great..." I muttered to myself, turning back to see Honeypaw's eager face. "Hunting with Honeypaw. What a treat."

***

"Here." Honeypaw pushed the mouse she had caught towards me shyly. "Do you want to share?"

I was surprised by the tenderness behind the gesture. She was nothing like she was usually - instead of being hyperactive, obsessed with being around me and annoying, she was caring, gentle, and generous.

Or maybe I had just never noticed it before.

"Sure," I replied, bending my neck to take a mouthful of the prey. When I looked up, Honeypaw's eyes were shining.

"B-Berrynose..." she stuttered. "I... I heard this from Mousewhisker. Do I... bother you?"

There it was - the perfect opening to tell her to leave me alone.

But I couldn't make the words come out of my jaws.

"Not right now," I told her truthfully. "And not all the time."

Honeypaw gave a little trill of joy. "Does that mean you like me?"

I didn't know what to say. Up until today I would have snorted at her and said no, but today...

"Put it this way," I mewed, turning away and starting to pad back to camp. "Your mate will be a lucky cat."


	16. WhiteBirch: Loneliness

**A/N/: This pairing has one of my favourite cats in it! Before I tell you, I'll quickly thank my reviewers, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Macey-The-Invisible, Rainstorm-Mosspath, nightmist of shadowwind tribe, Raven Wolfcall, flyingchicken, rhoanna, Spottedtalon, Kye-Zhi, and feathercloud13. Now, on request by Kye-Zhi and Crazy Computer's Vendetta, it's WhiteBirch!**

**DISCLAIMER: Okay, if I owned Warriors, Shrewpaw would still be alive, Spiderpaw would have died instead, and Whitepaw and Shrewpaw would have become mates. Sorry, Spiderpaw lovers!**

WhiteBirch: Loneliness

I was so happy at first. That there was another apprentice to train with me. Now that Spiderleg was a warrior, he acted all superior around me. That made me feel rather hurt, as we had trained together for a long time after Shrewpaw had...

As I was the only apprentice, I had to do _all _of the apprentice duties; clean out the elder's bedding, put mouse bile on their ticks, catch fresh-kill for the queens...

So I was as excited as Birchpaw the day he became an apprentice. Finally, some cat to share the duties with!

The apprentice den was nice and empty, too. That was the good part. There was only me and Birchpaw in there, so you could stretch out your limbs as much as you wanted without getting your ears clawed by some other cat.

I was also quite wounded that Squirrelflight had become a warrior before me. She had started her training _moons _after me, and yet I was still cracking elders' fleas between my teeth! I also heard her complaining about doing the apprentice duties, and I felt ready to claw her eyes out. Luckily, Brackenfur, my mentor, told her how hard it must have been for me. That made her clamp those jaws shut.

Birchpaw always listened. It was good to have a friend to talk to. And he wasn't just a listener, either - he always had some tale or other to tell. It wasn't often that we weren't training together, because we always begged to be on the same patrols, but on the rare occasions when we weren't, he always came back with a tall story. I didn't believe half the things he came out with, but he always made me purr, just the same.

And I put off my warrior ceremony, too, to wait until Birchpaw was ready. I knew what it felt like to feel lonely in the apprentice's den all on your own, and to feel rushed off your paws trying to do all the tasks the apprentices are expected to on your own. So when Brackenfur commented to Brambleclaw that I was ready to become I warrior, I pleaded with them not to give me my warrior name just yet. They were confused at first, but when I explained, they understood.

Birchpaw seemed grateful at the time.

"Did you really do that for me?" he gasped, amber eyes shining. "Thank you, Whitepaw!"

But as soon as we earned our warrior names, Whitewing and Birchfall, he... changed.

He wasn't the friendly apprentice I had always known, and grown close to. Now, he was Birch_fall_, and he seemed obsessed with 'leaving behind kithood habits'. Which, in my eyes, essentially meant that he wasn't any fun any more.

He started to hang around Berrypaw - why any cat would want to be friends with that bossy, controlling furball is a mystery to me - so I wandered around for a while by myself, lonely once again. For some time, I wondered if all toms stopped being fun when they became warriors. Spiderleg, Birchfall...

One day, Ashfur invited me to share tongues with him. I had been feeling sorry for him for some time - every cat in the Clan knew how Squirrelflight had cast him off like Twoleg rubbish for Brambleclaw - so I agreed.

I began to joke and share tongues with Ashfur regularly. One morning, in late greenleaf, he confessed that, actually, he liked me a lot. I didn't know what to say, so I just told him that I'd see him soon.

"Don't try to hide it, Whitewing," Ashfur interrupted, suddenly annoyed. "You don't like me at all."

"I-" I started, but Ashfur cut in.

"Don't bother." He rose to his paws and stalked off. I stared after him helplessly.

When Icekit and Foxkit were made apprentices, I was given Icepaw to mentor. I was certainly extremely pleased, but I heard Birchfall and Berrynose complaining, as though they thought _they_ should have had her to mentor. I stuck my nose and tail in the air and ignored them. Could I possibly ever have actually _liked _Birchfall?

But I still couldn't help watching him. His soft brown tabby pelt... His amber eyes...

Then one day... He asked me to share tongues with him.

He looked like an apprentice again, nervous but eager. My whiskers twitched.

"Sure."


	17. FireSpotted: Forgetting Me

**A/N/: Okay, I'll just settle for 'thanks to Macey-The-Invisible, Iceheart018, Kye-Zhi, Kylyn, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Dreamsilver, Ivypaw4, Evil_Gnome, and EeveeCelebi749 for reviewing!' since I can't thing of anything more interesting. Next up - a pairing we all know (and some of us hate, but somehow still Kye-Zhi and Nianque managed to ask for it), FireSpotted!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I was one of the Erins, I'd make Spottedleaf something other than this 'perfect StarClan member'. See what I said there? 'If I was one of the Erins'. Meaning I'm not. Meaning I don't own Warriors.**

FireSpotted: Forgetting Me

I gazed down at my beloved Firestar, sheathing and unsheathing my claws angrily. Lionheart laid his tail on my shoulders.

"Calm down, now, Spottedleaf..." he mewed quietly.

A took a deep, shaking, breath, trying to steady my emotions.

Lionheart gazed at me symathetically. "It's Sandstorm, isn't it?"

"Don't even say her name!" I burst out vehemently. "I _hate_ her!"

"It would never have worked out between you and Fireheart, and you know it. You were a medicine cat - and, I might add, more than several moons older than him."

"Age is but a number," I retorted coldly. "And is it so wrong to love? Bluestar and Oakheart - Greystripe and Silverstream!"

"But look how much pain that caused them," Lionheart told me gently. "Mistyfoot, Stonefur, Mosskit, Stormpaw, Featherpaw-"

"Wouldn't have been born!" Spottedleaf protested. "And RiverClan would have lost four loyal cats!"

"Every rule in the warrior code is there for a reason. And as for Sandstorm... Spottedleaf, like it or not, you are dead. And Fireheart can't spend his whole life alone."

A sighed. I knew all of this already. Deep down, I knew that Sandstorm made Fireheart happy. I knew that it wouldn't have worked, even if I had lived. And I _knew _that our whole lives would have been wreathed in shadows and secrets if we had been together. There might have even been kits, and I would not wish the confusion and mistrust of a mixed heritage on any cat. But still... it was hard. It was hard to watch the cat I loved sharing tonges with another she-cat.

"He's forgetting me," I whispered pathetically, turning my amber eyes on Lionheart's.

"Wrong." Lionheart shook his head. "He could _never _forget you. Never. Do you know how often you haunt his dreams? Almost every night... He dreams of seeing you again. Even when you don't come to him yourself, he still thinks of you. Spottedleaf, Fireheart could _never forget _you."

"It's so unfair." Suddenly I didn't care that I sounded like a kit.

"Did you know that Sandstorm is jealous of you?" Lionheart's eyes were serious.

"Jealous... of me? What for? _I _should be the one jealous of _her_!"

"She's jealous because she thinks that you had a bond with Fireheart that she could never compete with. She's afraid that he will never truly love her because his heart lies here... with you."

I looked down at the two ginger cats sharing tongues. "Me and Fireheart?" A hopeful bubble swelled in her chest. "Of course she could never compete with that."

Lionheart looked stern. "Spottedleaf, Fireheart _did_ love you. But... things change. Now he loves Sandstorm. Are you really going to take that happiness away from him?"

I knew that there was only one answer to that. "I couldn't." My mew was made whispery by the lump in my throat. Trying to distract myself, I looked down and Fireheart and Sandstorm again. Fireheart's mouth formed the words 'I love you.'

My throat felt like it was being constricted. Sandstorm's green eyes were glowing with love as the two cats nudged each other affectionately.

But my heart skipped a beat as Fireheart spared a glance for the skies. For a heartbeat, I swear to StarClan that my eyes locked with his.

In that one movement, I knew that I had to move on. Fireheart did still love me, but Sandstorm now held that special place in his heart. I was just a reminder of carefree apprentice days.

It was impossible that he would hear me, but my mouth shaped the words nonetheless.

"Never forget me." I paused. "Fireheart."


	18. YellowRagged: Questions and Remembering

**A/N/: Thanks to Spottedtalon, Kylyn, Iceheart018, feathercloud13, Benjy, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Dayflower, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, and Kye-Zhi for reviewing. Aaah... A forgotten pairing. Just like BlueOak****. Too much emphasis on the _kits_, people! So now, on request from Kye-Zhi, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Spottedtalon, and Swiftclaw, it's YellowRagged.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, at least one of Yellowfang's she-kits would have survived, or Raggedstar wouldn't have just ignored her after the kits were born. GO YELLOWFANG!!**

YellowRagged: Questions and Remembering

Did I love Yellowfang? Of course I did. She meant everything to me. It was wrong - terribly wrong. She was a medicine cat, and I was ShadowClan's leader. But I couldn't help it - I loved everything about her, from her snappy temper to her thick, ornery grey fur.

***

Did I love Raggedstar? How was it possible for me _not _to love him? The way he proudly held his head, the fierce glint in his eyes... But I was a medicine cat. I had sworn not to fall in love. Besides, StarClan might have found it hard to reach me if my thoughts were all wound up in him. Oh, what a fool I was.

***

Did Yellowfang love me? Yes. I saw it in every ripple of her fur, every twitch of her thick tail, every gleam of her eyes. She loved me from the moment we set foot outside the nursery to the moment she joined me in StarClan. I could see that she suppressed her feelings for me, trying to forget about them until they were nothing. And I thought that it wouldn't matter, because we were meant to be together, or some senseless idea like that. But we were both appallingly mistaken.

***

Did Raggedstar love me? Well. I'm not sure. I know that he loved me _before _Brokentail was born - there was no doubt about that. You can't imitate a look of dangerous love that gleams in your eyes. It was forbidden, and every moment I spent with him was tense, but there was definitely that deep current of understanding - of _love_ - between us.

After Brokentail was born... I didn't know. He wouldn't listen to me anymore, and I felt that the perception linking us had vanished. For him, I hardly existed any more. And when my own son blamed me for the death of two kits that he caused, and exiled me, I left gladly, yet sad that ShadowClan was dissolving.

Oh. I'm getting off subject.

Raggedstar loved me when he chose to.

***

I remember the day Yellowfang joined ThunderClan. I watched her from the stars, aghast. I could no longer watch over her as closely as before, as she had joined our Clan's chief rival. I could only watch, as my son destroyed the Clan I loved so much. And I knew that if I had listened to Yellowfang like I should have, in some small way, this could have been prevented.

No. If I had never loved Yellowfang in the first place, this never would have happened. Our love was wrong in every way, and I knew it.

We both knew it.

***

I remember the day I joined ThunderClan. Bluestar had asked me, and I had said yes, but with a growing feeling of apprehension rising in me like bile. I felt like I had betrayed Raggedstar, and the whole of ShadowClan.

_StarClan, why must you punish me so?_

But I knew the reason. If I didn't know the reason, I would be worse than mousebrained.

***

I remember the day Yellowfang joined StarClan. I was angry for not forseeing her death, yet afraid at the same time that she wouldn't forgive me. After all _I_ probably wouldn't have forgiven myself. Yellowfang snapped at me, but only for a couple of heartbeats.

Then she buried her muzzle in my fur and told me she loved me.

***

I remember the day I joined StarClan. I was terrified that I wouldn't get to StarClan at all, but when Raggedstar came to greet me, he asked _me_ for forgiveness. I was taken aback. What could he- Oh. I understood.

He wanted me to forgive him for trusting Brokentail.

I couldn't - not easily, anyway. But his pleading eyes won me over.

"Oh, Raggedstar. I love you."


	19. CrowNight: Wounds

**A/N/: Hmm... This one's slightly... er... how should I put this... _hated_. Randomly, thanks to Spottedtalon, Macey-The-Invisible, Kylyn, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Dreamsilver, Raven Wolfcall, HereLiesTheHero, and Kye-Zhi for reviewing. On request from Kye-Zhi, CrowNight.**

**DISCLAIMER: Surprisingly, I don't hate Nightcloud. But if I owned Warriors I would have made her _slightly _less grumpy.**

CrowNight: Wounds

I had always loved Crowfeather. _Always_. Despite the fact that he had already had two mates - from different Clans.

At first, he had _seemed _to love me. And I did my best to stop him lingering at the ThunderClan border. But I couldn't get over how much _happier_ he seemed when he was staring into the forest. And I wanted him happy. Didn't I?

When Breezekit was born, he hardly ever visited the nursery. Breezekit hardly knew who his father was until he was an apprentice. And even then, Crowfeather was always praising the other apprentices, and looking at our kit with an expression of... dislike? No... that couldn't be it. He couldn't dislike his own son. Could he?

As time went on, he stopped looking across the border as often. But I could tell that he was unhappy. He never, _ever_, looked at me the same way that he had looked at that... _Leafpool_.

I hated her. I really did. I couldn't believe that I could hate another cat, but I did. But to think that she felt the same way as me... it comforted me, just a little. If she hated me, I could despise her in peace. And why _wouldn't_ she hate me? I was the cat who had given birth to Crowfeather's kits.

But every day, I still felt the same pain. And there was nothing I could do to make this emotional pain go away. It didn't dull. Every day, it seemed a wound in my soul opened again and bled afresh.

Every time I heard him mutter her name in his sleep, the would opened.

Every time I caught him staring across the border, the wound opened.

Every time I saw him sniffing the air hopefully, love in his eyes, the wound opened.

Every time I saw him glance at Breezepelt, his eyes as hard as pebbles, the wound opened.

And most of all, every time I heard him utter the empty words of, "Of course I love you, Nightcloud," that held no passion, no love, the wound opened.

I didn't understand why it had to be me. Of all the she-cats by the lake, and further, why did it have to be _me_ that fell in love with a tom that was already in love? And have that tom as a mate, too, and get the hollow sense of victory, when it wasn't really there?

Why can't I stop loving Crowfeather? I know, now, that he will never, never love me. His heart belonged to _Feathertail_, the RiverClan cat, and then it belonged to... that... _Leafpool_.

It doesn't belong to me.

It has never belonged to me.

And it never _will_ belong to me.

In StarClan, we won't even be together. Crowfeather will be together with Feathertail, and Leafpool, while, once again, I watch on helplessly from the sidelines.

If only there were another tom to love, instead of Crowfeather, with his lean body, his sleek dark grey pelt, his amber eyes...

There is no other cat like Crowfeather.

And there will never be.

Even a forbidden love would be better than this.

Even if I fell in love with a ShadowClan warrior, or a medicine cat, at least it would be a cat who loved me back.

Because my heart belongs to a tom who will never return my love.

_"N-Nightcloud?"_

_"Yes, Breezepaw?"_

_"Why... why doesn't Crowfeather like us?"_

He'll find out one day. Our son will find out about the two she-cats who stole his father's heart from me. And his heart will break. What cat should ever have to deal with being the offspring of a cat who didn't love his mate? A cat that _used_ his mate. To get more accepted into the Clan. No cat should ever, ever have to go through the pain that I have - and that Breezepelt will.

Admittedly, I can be a little short-tempered. But Crowfeather is on my mind every heartbeat of every day. If I'm a little irritable at times, it's not my fault. I have a mate that loves the ThunderClan medicine cat, and a dead RiverClan warrior.

Every day, the pain gets greater, as though claws are digging into me, deeper and deeper.

And I have to face this pain for eternity.


	20. WhiteWillow: Thank You

**A/N/: We're up to the twentieth chapter! Thanks so much to Oo-Rainpath-oO, Kylyn, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Kye-Zhi, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Benjy, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Nianque, Iceheart018, Macey-The-Invisible, Dreamsilver, Streamcloud-Dreaming-, and Spottedtalon for reviewing the last chapter! Well, this time it's actually going to be a love that worked out for once! So, requested by Kye-Zhi, Rosalie-Hale-Cullen, and Spottedtalon here it is; WhiteWillow!**

**DISCLAIMER: I _love _Willowpelt. She's one of my favourite characters - after Whitewing and Hazeltail and Greypaw and Yellowfang, of course. But, I don't own any of these cats - although they are made of awesome. =sniff=**

WhiteWillow: Thank You

"I'm going to have to move to the nursery soon. I'm expecting kits," I boasted, glancing over at Whitestorm. He seemed to swell to twice his usual size with pride. My eyes gleamed with love for him as I imagined the tiny lives inside me - becoming apprentices, then valued warriors... Maybe they would even have kits of their own, or become a medicine cat, sharing secrets with StarClan, or even the leader of the whole Clan! If my kits became Clan leader... My tail went straight up as I imagined it.

I caught a glimpse of Fireheart staring over at me, then over to Whitestorm - he must have guessed, from the satisfaction in Whitestorm's gaze, who the father of my kits was. Well, I didn't mind - I didn't mind if the whole Clan knew of my love for Whitestorm.

I padded over to Whitestorm and pressed myself against the white tom's side, purring loudly. Whitestorm rasped his tongue over my ear and I purred even louder.

"Whitestorm, I love you," I purred quietly.

"I love you too, Willowpelt," Whitestorm whispered into my ear. I felt a shiver of happiness - for me, for Whitestorm, and for all of the unborn lives inside me. I praised StarClan that it wasn't some forbidden love that would only cause me pain.

"Thank you," I whispered, almost silently, though to whom, I wasn't sure.

***

"Sootkit," I breathed, brushing the tip of my tail lightly over the light grey tomkit's forehead. I moved onto the next kit, a tortoiseshell she-kit.

"The patches on her pelt look like black leaves of sorrel," Whitestorm murmured.

"Then her name is Sorrelkit," I decided. The last kit was a dark grey tomkit. "Whitestorm... Why don't you name him?" I suggested quietly.

Whitestorm's yellow eyes shone. "Thank you," he mewed softly. "If you're sure, then his name is... Rainkit."

I glanced at him knowingly - the name Rainkit bore a suspicious resemblance to the name _storm_. And maybe _Stormtail_ in particular - Bluestar's father. And every cat knew that Whitestorm's mother, Snowfur, was Bluestar's sister. Maybe there was a connection...

"Oh, Whitestorm. I know how much your aunt means to you," I whispered.

Whitestorm's eyes were filled with a strange mix of sorrow and happiness. "I wanted our kit's name to reflect on that," he whispered. The sadness in his eyes pierced me like a blackthorn.

"What's wrong?"

Whitestorm shook his head awkwardly, but then stopped and half-nodded, with a quick glance at Yellowfang. This did not go unnoticed by the sharp-tongued medicine cat.

"Just remember to eat your borage," Yellowfang rasped, indicating the bitter, dark green leaves on the ground. She turned to hobble away, but turned her head before she reached the entrance to the nursery. "Frostfur, Brindleface, Goldenflower and Speckletail have taken their kits out until sunhigh."

"Thank you, Yellowfang." Whitestorm flashed her a grateful glance, before turning back to Willowpelt.

"Now I _know _that there's something wrong." A dark shadow crossed my face.

Whitestorm nodded solemnly. "But what I _don't _want you to do is worry about it, alright? It's all fine, we're all perfectly safe. Don't lose sleep, either - you've got our kits to look after, now."

I was getting anxious already. "If you don't tell me, I'll assume that it's something much worse than it is," I warned him.

Whitestorm nodded, taking a deep breath, then exhaling. "It's Bluestar," he mewed quickly. "She's... changed."

"Changed?" I was puzzled. "Changed, how?"

"It's the shock of Tigerclaw turning out to be... who he was, I suppose." Whitestorm was speaking very fast, as though he believed that by gabbling the story it would hurt less. "She's stopped grooming herself, and..."

"Don't say any more." I slapped the tip of my tail into my mate's mouth gently. "I appreciate that you trust me enough to tell me, but... how can you be sure that I won't spread the secret? That would sow panic among ThunderClan."

Whitestorm wrapped his tail around his paws and pushed his muzzle into my cheek. "Willowpelt, you mean everything to me. Well, you and our kits, now. I _know_ that you won't tell any cat. I know you better than any cat, and you wouldn't do that. I... Willowpelt, I love you."

Hope flared inside me. "You couldn't have chosen a better answer. Thank you, Whitestorm. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"Thank _you_," Whitestorm purred. "Thank you for our kits."


	21. FeatherCrow: Feathertail's Vigil

**A/N/: Okay, thanks to Rainsky of ThunderClan, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Macey-The-Invisible, Nianque, Dreamsilver, Raven Wolfcall, Spottedtalon, and Kye-Zhi for reviewing. Now, this one was requested by Iceheart018, Kye-Zhi, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Swiftclaw, and Black Rabbit-Chan - it's FeatherCrow.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Crowfeather would just die already. (Yes, I hate him. So much it's not even funny.)**

FeatherCrow: Feathertail's Vigil

A slight breeze ruffled my dark grey fur as I sat on the rocky crevice. My tail was curled around my paws, yet it twitched every so often. The clear silver moon hovered above my head, with the stars sprinkled across the expanse of the cloudless black sky.

But these were not my ancestors. These stars did not shine with the light of StarClan. They glowed above me, each a warrior of the Tribe of Endless Hunting. But there were no ancestors I longed for more.

I turned my head slightly to the right. Even at night, the waterfall flooded down the sound of the mountain, hiding the Cavern of the Tribe of Rushing Water. My Clanmates - and, indeed, every cat in the other Clans, too - were asleep inside.

But I couldn't sleep. I had to spend every possible heartbeat here.

At the grave of my beautiful Feathertail.

_She_ had been the silver cat, not Stormfur, the last time we were here. Why - why her? Why did the Tribe's ancestors choose Feathertail to snatch away from me? There will never be another cat like her - not in WindClan, not in _any_ Clan.

She died saving my life. Why didn't she just let me die? I would have much rather gone to StarClan - or, indeed, the Tribe of Endless Hunting - and watched over Feathertail until she came to join me then have to face this agony every heartbeat of every day.

It pierced me through like the rock that had crushed Feathertail. I felt her anguish a thousand times over. I imagined her clear blue eyes, bright with love, and her silver tabby pelt, every day.

So where was StarClan when Feathertail sacrificed herself? Where was the Tribe of Endless Hunting? Where was anyone who could possibly help Feathertail not to meet her death in a cold cave? Not with me, that's for sure.

Her death physically hurts me. It feels like I have a thorn stuck in my throat every time I think of her. All I know is - it is all my fault. I could have saved her. I could have got out of Sharptooth's way before Feathertail felt that she had to save my life.

And now she's trapped with the Tribe's ancestors - cats she doesn't even know - for eternity. Caught in this uncomfortable, freezing mountain. The starry paths she walks will never be the same as mine. Which is why I have to learn to shoulder this heartache forever. If I don't learn now... I never will.

Why, StarClan? What have I ever done wrong? I've tried my best to be a loyal WindClan warrior. I've fought battles with tooth and claw to defend my Clan. You even picked me to go on the Journey out of my Clan!

So why was it _me_ that had to fall in love with Feathertail? Why was it _her_ that was the silver cat? Why was it _her_ destiny to die for the Tribe? Are you punishing me for something that I haven't yet done?

Sure, the Tribe buried Feathertail in a place worthy of the noblest cave-guard - but what use is that? She wasn't a cave-guard, or a prey-hunter... she was a RiverClan warrior.

Worst of all, I was now alone. I had opened up to Feathertail - but now, she was dead. Just like a snake when the sun goes in, I had huddled even further back under my rock. And no cat could tempt me back out this time.

And now, even as I sat here, her body lay underneath me, her fluffy tail, which gave her the name Feathertail, still, her sky blue eyes forever closed.

She was in a better place...

But the two broken halves of my heart missed her so much that it was a miracle I didn't yowl my grief to the immobile skies.

Squirrelpaw knew. So did Brambleclaw. And Tawnypelt. And Feathertail's brother, Stormfur, although he hadn't approved, because of their parents. But none of my Clanmates knew. I think they guessed, though. That there was _some_ cat. Some cat I had loved.

They could tell by the pain in my eyes, by the slight droop in my tail, by the dull grief in my mew. But they said nothing.

And I was grateful.

But I've been thinking it through, and...

I don't care whether this makes it obvious that I was in love with Feathertail.

I don't care if it's disrespectful to Tallstar - or whichever cat gives me my warrior name.

I'm going to ask for my warrior name.

I'm going to ask for my warrior name to be Crowfeather.


	22. DustFern: Her

**A/N/: Well, thanks to Spottedtalon, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Rainswift, Kye-Zhi, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Iceheart018, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Nianque, Raven Wolfcall, Black Rabbit-Chan, Macey-The-Invisible, HereLiesTheHero, and AllyCat2090 for reviewing. Now, onto the couple with many kits, as requested by Spottedtalon, Kye-Zhi, mushieroxx, and Crazy Computer's Vendetta. I think you know who I'm talking about, but in case you don't... introducing DustFern!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dustpelt. Or Ferncloud. Or Shrewpaw. Or Spiderleg. Or Hollykit. Or Larchkit. Or Birchfall. Or Foxpaw. Or Icepaw. Wow, have you noticed how many of Dustpelt and Ferncloud's kits _die_? Only two out of seven so far have lived to become warriors. Though I'm assuming that Foxpaw and Icepaw will live... Oh, and also, did you know, that because Spiderleg is Rosekit and Toadkit's father, and Birchfall is Dovekit and Ivykit's father, that makes all of the kits currently in the ThunderClan nursery closely related? Okay, rant over. Don't even know why I'm ranting when I'm supposed to be writing a disclaimer...**

DustFern: Her

I wasn't _totally _over Sandstorm. I knew that. I was still really jealous when I saw her with Fireheart, and hurt at the way she seemed to snap at me these days. But then... Well, it was embarrassing enough that I had been padding after one of my denmates when she was so _clearly_ - to every cat but me, it seemed - interested in another tom. But a warrior padding after a barely apprenticed she-cat? If the situation hadn't been so humiliating, I would have found it funny.

But it wasn't my _fault _- I swear to StarClan that every other tom in the whole Clan must have been blind and deaf not to notice how _her_ pale grey pelt, flecked with darker grey, gleamed _all the time_, not a hair out of place, not a tuft of fur sticking up.

Often, I would fetch my apprentice - _her _brother, Ashpaw - early for training, and inconspicuously encouraging him to be slow at waking up and choosing a mouse from the fresh-kill pile, just so I could steal quick glances at _her_. But then Ashpaw would impatiently whine at me, and I would snap at him, afraid that he would have noticed me staring at _her_.

"Can I take my apprentice out with yours today?" Darkstripe would ask me brusquely. It was never really a question, the way his eyes flashed, but then again, I was never really inclined to say no. Because Darkstripe's apprentice was _her_.

And I would watch _her_ careful stalking skills, and I would marvel over _her_ agility, just before scolding myself for watching her at all, because _she_ was just so much _younger_.

But all the same, whenever she looked at me with her perfect green eyes, my heart would give a jolt. And she seemed to have been looking at me a lot more of the time before it happened.

One day, Brightpaw and Swiftpaw went missing. And _she_ padded over to me, looking anxious, and uncertainty radiating off _her _pelt. At the time, I wondered why no other cat noticed, the feeling was so strong. But then, no other cat looked at _her_ as closely as I did.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," _she_ whispered to me. And I wondered what _she_ could have done that could have warrented any sort of apology - after all, everything _she_ did seemed to be perfect in every way... To me, anyway.

But then _she_ spilled out her story, and I knew that it was important, as it concerned Brightpaw, Swiftpaw, jealousy that Cloudtail had been made a warrior before them, and recklessness. Of course, I was worried for the safety of the two apprentices, but I couldn't help feeling a small, warm glow that _she_ had trusted me enough to tell me. And, as I padded beside _her_ after persuading _her_ to tell Fireheart _her_ story, my fur tingled a little as I realized what this meant.

_She _liked me.

And then, as it was revealed that it was a pack of dogs, I realized that, although Swiftpaw was dead, _she_ and I had probably saved Brightpaw's life - or as she was know now, Lostface.

"I hate that name," _she_ whispered to me one day. "It makes me so sad. It reminds every cat what the dogs did to her."

"Don't worry," I murmured back. "Firestar will probably change it. He's not cruel, and he knows not to keep a cruel name."

For Bluestar was dead.

_She_ and Ashpaw had dashed like the wind to outrun the dogs and lead them over the gorge, thus avenging the death of Brindleface, their mother. I had taken pride in the fact that I was the only cat that had stopped _her_ from losing _her_ mind in those dark days. But Bluestar had sacrificed her own life to save her Clan. My heart had thudded madly as I thought; _That could so easily have been _her_..._

So much death, so much destruction... But I was confident that Firestar would lead us well. I had never been the flame-coloured tom's biggest fan, but he was my leader now. I respected him.

And then, the day that _she_ was made a warrior... I had called her name before any other cat.

For I had finally realized it. She may have been moons younger, but neither of us cared any more, because we...

We loved each other.

And it was no longer _she _and I in seperate worlds any more.

It was Dustpelt and...

_Ferncloud_.

**A/N/: Oh dear. I seem to have misplaced the note containing which pairings go when. And what the pairings are. I've patched it up (sorta) but I'm kinda missing two pairings. Sorry if they were yours! Anyhow, what I'm going to do is just put in two of my favourite pairings as pairings 49 and 50. So, yeah. Sorry to whoever's pairings I lost!**


	23. DaisySpider: Watching

**A/N/: Thanks to Macey-The-Invisible, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Iceheart018, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Dreamsilver, feathercloud13, Kye-Zhi, rhoanna, and Spottedtalon for reviewing! Here we go, for number... wait, what number are we on now? =checks= Number twenty-three! Only two away from halfway! =coughcough= Anyway, this was suggested by Kye-Zhi, Starry, and Swiftclaw. Very, very drabble-ish, and, for a change, not much fluff. It's DaisySpider.**

**DISCLAIMER: =muttering= Stupid Daisy stealing Cloudtail away from Brightheart... =grumbling= Well, if I owned Warriors, that would never have happened.**

DaisySpider: Watching

I've always wanted some cat to love me like Smoky loves Floss. He fathered both of our kits, but I could see the way he acted around Floss. We all knew that there was no real _love _between us like there was between Smoky and Floss. But I knew - because I knew what sort of cat he was - that he would have been a good father to my kits... If we had stayed in the barn, with no fear of the Nofurs coming to take them away.

When I joined ThunderClan, I felt my first taste of real love. I had fallen in love with Cloudtail, the white warrior who had been born a house cat - or a _kittypet_, as the Clan cats called them. When I heard this, I felt a sense of kinship with Cloudtail right away. I thought he loved me too - but he had just been protecting my kits, because they weren't Clanborn, like him. He had a mate, and a daughter.

I was proud of my kits when they became warriors, but I was upset that I didn't care for their father like _proper _mates care for each other.

One day, I was lying in the sun outside the nursery. As the warriors and apprentices padded past, I went through their names in my head, as I was trying to learn who every cat was - as there were so _many_.

_There's Sandstorm, with Honeypaw... Honeypaw's Sandstorm's apprentice. And Poppypaw, too, with her mentor, Thorn... Thornclaw. I suppose they're training Honeypaw and Poppypaw together because they're sisters. Wait, wasn't Cinderpaw their sister, too? Is she coming? Oh, there she is. With her mentor, Cl-_

I looked away as Cloudtail hurried past, trying to let my eyes rest on another cat, any other cat...

My eyes settled on a long-limbed black warrior on the other side of camp that I didn't recognize. I felt that I should, but... I couldn't place his name.

I leaned over to Ferncloud. She and I had become good friends in the last few moons, although she didn't understand my fears of living a life without love - and why would she? Her mate, Dustpelt, had never stopped loving her.

"Who's that black tomcat sitting over there?" I asked her curiously, not taking my eyes off him. He was sitting by himself outside the warrior's den, his eyes darting around camp. He looked... lonely. And loneliness was an emotion that I could sympathize with.

Ferncloud's whiskers twitched. "That's my oldest son," she informed me, her mew soft. "Spiderleg. He had a littermate, Shrewpaw, but..." She trailed off.

I said nothing. I couldn't imagine how it felt to lose a kit. To distract myself, I glanced over at Spiderleg again. His eyes were continuing to flicker around camp. Absentmindedly, I began to follow his gaze.

Towards the camp entrance, to the medicine cats' den, to Birchfall, who had just emerged next to him...

For a heartbeat, I wondered what he was staring at now, before I realized that his amber eyes were turned on _me_. I tilted my head in confusion. Spiderleg blinked and looked away, his ears flicking back in embarrassment.

My fur tingled. My whiskers twitched.

_Why was he staring at me?_ I asked myself, a warm, fuzzy feeling growing inside me. _Is it... does he...?_

I rolled over so that I was lying on my side with a contented sigh.

"Anything the matter, Daisy?" Ferncloud asked, turning from where Foxkit and Icekit were scuffling for a heartbeat.

"No," I replied truthfully. "Nothing at all."


	24. SmokyDaisy: Awkward

**A/N/: I'm extremely bored. So - congrats! You get two chapters today! Thanks to all of my reviewers, Spottedtalon, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Kye-Zhi, and Rainstorm-Mosspath. This one was requested by Kye-Zhi - DaisySmoky.**

**DISCLAIMER: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! No.**

DaisySmoky: Awkward

I glanced at my swollen belly. Pride rose in my throat.

I looked across the room at the father of my unborn kits. The happiness was replaced at once by a bitter-tasting sadness.

It wasn't that I didn't _like_ Floss - no, not at all, she was my best friend. It was just... once I knew that Smoky was the father of _both_ of our kits... it felt a bit... what was the word I was looking for?

Awkward.

I don't think even Smoky realized that he was the father of my kits until I told him. And he was more distant with me than he had been once he found out.

Of course, I don't blame him. He must have felt ill at ease being the father of two litters of kits, both with different mothers.

Floss, too. She hardly ever spoke to me after I became pregnant. But I caught her, several times, eying my bulging stomach, and then looking at her own with a quiet sigh.

So it was often almost silent in the barn.

Me on one side.

Smoky and Floss on the other side.

But I couldn't stop gazing across at them and feeling terrible envy inside me.

Envy, because Floss had what I wanted so badly.

She had Smoky.

He was perfect...

I don't think Floss realized _how_ perfect.

She took him for granted.

And my heart twisted in agony every time I saw them together.

I would walk up to the muscular grey and white tom, intending to ask him if he would like to take a short walk with me. The words would be close to slipping off my tongue when I would notice another small grey and white form next to his, looking hurt. I would feel embarrassed, and quickly turn and pad away to curl up in a corner.

I wished that I could have fallen in love with some tom that my best friend wasn't also in love with. I would have given anything to stop loving Smoky, but... it was impossible.

My stomach gave a small jolt every time I looked at him, and every time his eyes locked with mine, I felt lightheaded. But all too often he was simply staring at me in confusion because I hadn't responed to a question he had asked me, or because he had caught me gaping at him like a mousebrain.

It hurt me, in some ways, to lose my friendship with Floss. We never shared tongues any more, nor purred at each other's antics. We were serious-faced mothers-to-be now, and both of us were expecting Smoky's kits. In that way, that broken part of our bond could never be resealed.

Sometimes, as I lay in the hay of the barn trying to fall asleep, I felt as though I hated Smoky. But that was mousebrained - how could I hate a cat I was in love with? But my feelings had felt distorted out of proportion lately.

"...Daisy?"

I shook my head swiftly and blinked. "Wh-what was that?"

My fur prickled with embarrassment as I saw Smoky beside me. He had obviously asked me a question which I had ignored. Again. Because I was too busy gazing at him. Again. Why couldn't I have two heartbeats of conversation with him without wanting to go and live with the forest cats?

"I... just wanted to ask you if you thought that the barn was big enough for our kits," Smoky mewed, flicking his tail towards Floss. Then his eyes wavered with discomfort. "Oh, um, and yours, of course."

My stomach swooped low. For a few heartbeats, when he said 'our kits' I thought he was talking about _our_ kits. As though he was beginning to notice me at last. Like he was acting like a proper father.

But he was talking about _their _kits. His and Floss's. As per usual. I was mousebrained to even hope.

It just raised awkwardness between every cat.

"Of course it will." I turned away. "You'll make a great father to Floss's kits, Smoky."

But what he said next stopped me in my tracks.

"You'll be an amazing mother to our kits."

I paused, holding my breath. Hardly daring to dream, I turned.

"They'll have the best father around the whole lake," Floss purred.

My heart dropped like a stone.

It was Floss, again.

Not me.

It would never be me.

And everything I said would make every cat feel...

Awkward.


	25. DaisyCloud: Blazing Eyes

**A/N/: 'K, thanks to Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Benjy, feathercloud13, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Macey-The-Invisible, Raven Wolfcall, and Kye-Zhi for reviewing. This fanfic has _officially_ got the most reviews of all my fanfics so far! ^.^ Now next up is a pairing that many of you out there will hate. And I know I may get many reviews saying something along the lines of 'ewwww how can u rite this??????' Yet it was still suggested by Kye-Zhi, rhoanna, and nightmist of shadowwind tribe. So... CloudDaisy!**

CloudDaisy: Blazing Eyes

"Am I in love with _Daisy_? Am I in love with...? Of course I'm not in love with Daisy! I have you, for StarClan's sake! And a kit! And _she_ has a mate! And _three _kits!" I was baffled. What was Brightheart mewing on about?

"She doesn't have a mate _anymore_." Brightheart glared at me accusingly.

"...Well, I suppose you're right..." I shuffled my paws, feeling like a naughty apprentice again under my mate's stare. "But... Come on, we're just friends! I'm only helping her look after her kits."

"It looks like more than that to _me_!" Brightheart unsheathed her claws and sank them into the earthy ground.

I was beginning to get slightly alarmed. "Oh, Brightheart, d-don't get angry."

"Don't get angry? Don't get _angry_?" Brightheart's mew rose hysterically. "How can I not get angry when _you_... I mean, I know I'm _ugly_, but I thought you..."

I started to panic. "Brightheart, don't be a mousebrain! You're not ugly! Of course you're not! You're the most beautiful she-cat in the forest!"

"Except _her_," the ginger and white she-cat growled.

"No! She doesn't even come into it! She's just a horseplace cat, Brightheart..."

"Empty words," hissed Brightheart, before turning tail and stalking away.

Before she had gone much further than ten foxlengths away, she whipped around.

"How do you think Whitepaw feels about this, Cloudtail?" Her one amber eye burned into mine. "Think about that."

I gulped uneasily as the trees swallowed up the one-eyed she-cat.

Did I really like Daisy as more than just a friend?

No... that was mousebrained...

Wasn't it?

"Oh, please, StarClan, tell me it _is _mousebrained!" I muttered fervently. I wished I was an apprentice again, with nothing more to worry about than Fireheart's scoldings.

And Brightheart was right - if I _did_ have feelings for Daisy...

"Which I _don't_," I growled out loud.

...Then what would happen to Whitepaw? I loved her more than anything. Surely StarClan wouldn't be so cruel...?

"This is so mousebrained!" I exploded, tearing up clumps of earth with my claws. "I'm going around in circles, and... Oh, who needs she-cats anyway?"

I knew I was being reckless, but I didn't care. I was _known_ for being reckless.

If I just ignored Daisy and Brightheart, it would all be fine.

Right?

***

"Birchpaw..."

I extended one claw and traced a line in the dust, not looking at my denmate.

"Hmm?" responded the light brown tabby. I took this as the only answer I was going to get out of him when he was in the middle of basking on Sunningrocks, so I continued.

"Do you think... that my father is acting a little... odd?" I asked tentatively. I sincerely hoped that Birchpaw would answer with 'what are you mewing about, mousebrain?', but I wanted to know if my suspicions were true.

"Well... of course," mewed Birchpaw lazily. "The whole Clan knows. That's why your mother's so upset, too."

"Knows about what?" I sat up straight and gazed at him. "Knows about _what_?"

Birchpaw looked a little shifty now. "Well... it's only a rumour... but some cats think... Cloudtail... and... Daisy..." He trailed off, looking like he wished he hadn't spoken.

"_Daisy_?" I shrieked, understanding in a heartbeat. "_Daisy_?"

***

I padded back to camp, turning things over in my head. Did I love Daisy... or did I love Brightheart?

I had barely set one paw through the entrance to camp when a flash of white fur careered into me.

"No, _please_, Cloudtail, you _can't_..." it begged me.

"Whitepaw?" I mewed, amazed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at Sunningrocks with Birchpaw!"

"I've come to stop you making the biggest mistake of your life!" My daughter's green eyes burned into mine. "You can't..."

I growled inwardly. Whitepaw had found out? Not that it was true...

"Wh-what's all this commotion about?" asked a soft, bewildered voice from near the nursery.

_Daisy._

I glanced over at the long-furred she-cat. Her blue eyes locked with mine, filled with puzzlement, and... _more_.

And I understood.

She had started all this.

_She_ was in love with _me_.

"Daisy!" I cried.

"Oh, so, now you're pleased to see her!"

I wanted to bury my face in my paws. Brightheart had just emerged from the warrior's den. At once, Whitepaw scurried over to her and gazed at me with pained eyes.

This was hurting my daughter... I had to stop it, now.

Five eyes scorched my pelt - two full of love, and three anguished.

I opened my jaws.

"Daisy, I..."

But I couldn't make the words come out of my jaws.

"Would you like to take a walk with me?"

Daisy's blue eyes shone, and she seemed to forget about her kits. "Yes, Cloudtail," she replied. "I would like that very much."

**A/N/: Okay, so that was a little bit AU. I know that that would have never happened, but... =shrugs=**

**Please review?**


	26. JayStick: Wrong

**A/N/: Thanks to Spottedtalon, Kye-Zhi, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Benjy, Iceheart018, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Macey-The-Invisible, and feathercloud13 for reviewing! THIS FANIFIC HAS PASSED 300 REVIEWS!!!!!! YIPEEEEEE!!!! Anyhow... Well, now we have a pairing which is the slightest bit... _unusual_. From Starry... JayStick?**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Warriors. But I _do _own this biscuit which I am about to consume. =consumes biscuit= Okay, I don't even own the biscuit anymore!**

JayStick: Wrong

I sighed.

_Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong._

I was a medicine cat.

_Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong._

I wasn't supposed to fall in love at all.

_Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong._

Let alone with an inanimate object.

_Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, _the voice in my head chanted once again.

My ear twitched in the direction of Lionpaw. From the sounds of it, he was stretching luxuriously in front of the apprentice's den.

I then focused my hearing on my sister. She was selecting a plump vole from the fresh-kill pile. The scent of it made my mouth water.

But no cat would know if I just left and-

"Jaypaw, what are you doing?"

I whipped around. My mentor, Leafpool, was standing behind me, radiating impatience.

"N-nothing!" I stuttered. "You see, I was just-"

"You've been standing there for moons with an... odd... expression on your face." Her tone became accusing. "You haven't fallen for some young she-cat, have you?"

"No, Leafpool," I answered, quite truthfully. _If only you knew..._

"Well, good."

I could tell she didn't quite believe me, but thankfully she said no more about it.

"You'd better help me gather some borage. We're almost out."

I let out a silent sigh of relief.

***

I turned my head towards the direction of the lake. Somewhere, down there, was...

"Jaypaw! Stop wandering about like a confused squirrel!" Leafpool's sharp mew jolted me out of my daydream. "Do you have the borage?"

"Y-yes, Leafpool," I called back quickly, snatching up some herbs that were growing beside me and dropping them at Leafpool's paws.

"Jaypaw." Leafpool's mew was steady, but I could hear anger in every syllable. "Do you call this borage?"

I bent down and sniffed the herb. My fur prickled with embarrassment as I detected, not the bitter scent of borage, but the sharp smell of thyme.

"No, Leafpool," I mewed in a low voice.

"Tell me, Jaypaw," Leafpool continued. "Is Millie too agitated?"

"No, Leafpool," I repeated.

"So, tell me what we use thyme for."

"Calming frayed nerves." Why did she have to humiliate me like this?

"I told you to get borage," Leafpool mewed sharply. "I taught you better than this, Jaypaw!"

I said nothing, knowing that opening my jaws would likely land me in trouble, but inside my head I had already travelled down to the lake where my stick was waiting.

"Jaypaw! Are you listening!"

"Yes, Leafpool," I mewed. "I'm listening."

But now I had somewhere in my head where I could go.

_Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, _my common sense warned me.

But I didn't care.

**A/N/: That was... odd, to say the least. Hmm... I kinda disown this one-shot... I'll forget it existed... this pairing really confuses me... sorry, Starry... I tried my best... '~'**


	27. CloudBright: Flinching Away

**A/N/: Since the last chapter was so... coughcoughTERRIBLEcoughcough... and this one was so short, I decided to publish them together. This is a slightly more normal one than last chapter! It was suggested by Iceheart018, and it's CloudBright!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Swiftpaw would never have died... =sob= Long live Swiftpaw!**

CloudBright: Flinching Away

They flinch away. They all flinch away.

_"She's in the paws of StarClan."_

Cinderpelt.

_"She will be known as Lostface, so that every cat knows what StarClan did to us."_

Bluestar.

_"Oh my goodness, what happened to you?"_

Princess.

_"Oh!"_

Daisy.

_"That ugly cat scared me!"_

Berrykit.

Am I really that ugly?

...Oh.

One eye gone.

One ear ripped to shreds.

Bald, pink skin on one side of my face where fur will never grow again.

_"She will live. Stop giving up!"_

_"But Lostface is a cruel name! What if she lives?"_

_"She attacked the dog pack. She was very brave."_

_"I'll never call her by that name. Never!"_

_"You'll always be beautiful inside. No matter what you look like on the outside, you will always have the most beautiful personality of any cat I have ever met."_

_"You will be a warrior. I won't rest until you are."_

...Cloudtail.

He has never flinched away.

Alone of every cat in my life...

...Cloudtail has never flinched away.

_"I love you, Brightheart."_

**A/N/: Yes, very, very short, I know. But, hey, it's a drabble. Reviewers are loved very muchly!**


	28. HeatherLion: Steps In And Out of Love

**A/N/: Thanks to Rainstorm-Mosspath, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Iceheart018, xxSnowfirexx, Nianque, Macey-The-Invisible, Lunastar, Cam, Raven Wolfcall, Banana King, Tinygoldie11, Spottedtalon, and Kye-Zhi for reviewing! Whew, I didn't get_ too_ much hate mail for writing JayStick...Well, this one was suggested by Rainsky of ThunderClan and Dreamsilver. It's HeatherLion.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors... Erm, I don't know. It's hard to make any connection to this pairing. Well, I don't own Warriors, anyway.**

HeatherLion: Five Steps In Love, One Step Out of Love

Into love.

***

One.

I meet him at a Gathering. He keeps staring at me. Why does he make me feel so embarrassed...? But in a good way. Is that possible? I'm not sure.

He introduces himself, and so do I, before Breezepaw barges between us and starts rudely ranting about something unimportant.

...Uncanny how much like his father he is.

He politely listens to Breezepaw, though he keeps shooting glances at me.

...Strange. I didn't seem to catch anything that Breezepaw said just now.

***

Two.

I start to fall behind with my duties because I can't stop thinking about him.

It's starting to get on my nerves...

And I know that I have to see him again at some point.

I need to see his shining fur, golden even in the silver moonlight.

I need to see his warm amber eyes.

I need to hear his friendly mew.

***

Three.

I suggest to him that we meet up somewhere.

He isn't so sure. He doesn't want to be disloyal to his Clan.

I assure him that he won't be.

I mean, it's not like we're breaking the warrior code or anything.

Not even crossing over into each other's territories.

I can see he is tempted.

For a few heartbeats he is silent.

And then...

He agrees.

My eyes sparkle with happiness.

***

Four.

I know we're acting like kits.

Playing with a ball of moss.

But somehow...

With him, it seems _fun_.

Until two ThunderClan apprentices - one of them his sister - interrupt.

He is angry.

And upset.

I understand.

This is _our_ time.

Nothing to do with _her_.

As I pad away, I hear a veiled threat.

"I just came to make sure Hollypaw was safe," the grey apprentice was explaining. "No one else knows."

"And they won't know so long as you stay away from Heatherpaw," threatens Hollypaw.

My paws grow swifter as I race away in alarm.

If his Clan knows, it will disgrace both of us.

But if we don't meet again...

I shake my head, not wanting to picture that scene.

We need a place to meet in secret.

***

Five.

I spend the next couple of moons trying to find a likely place.

Nowhere was cropping up...

Until...

I find the perfect place.

A tunnel, from my territory to his.

We can play here, and no cat would ever find us out.

Especially not that prying sister of his.

_"I name you Lionclaw, warrior of DarkClan!"_

***

Out of love.

***

"Heatherpaw, you betrayed me!" Angry.

"It wasn't me!" Bewildered.

"So why is my forest full of your Clan?" Furious.

"I don't lie!" Begging.

"I'll never forget this, Heatherpaw. I will be your enemy _forever_." Menacing.

_I will be your enemy _forever_._

_Forever._

_Forever..._

Oh, Lionpaw, what did I do wrong?

**A/N/: By the way, people, school has started again after summer D: So updates might not be as quick as they were...**


	29. CrowLeaf: Three Times

**A/N/: =sigh= Another angsty, never-worked-out pairings. This time, it's CrowLeaf, asked for by Nianque and Spottedtalon. I'm really not in a happy mood, am I? And thanks to Kylyn, Kye-Zhi, xxSnowfirexx, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Unkown G, Iceheart018, Tinygoldie11, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Candirules, Spottedtalon, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Macey-The-Invisible, and rhoanna for reviewing.**

**DISCLAIMER: Crowfeather has many mates. But I don't own a single one =sob=**

CrowLeaf: Three Times

"Crowfeather."

Weaselfur's voice jerked me out of my trance - a trance that certainly did _not_ involve a certain brown tabby medicine cat.

"What?" I snapped defensively, eyeing Weaselfur and his companions Owlwhisker and Gorsetail with suspicion.

"There are some... ThunderClan cats here to see you." Gorsetail cast an uncomfortable glance towards the other two. "On... on the ThunderClan side of the stream."

I noticed that their voices had taken on a slightly shrill, scared tone. My heart started thumping wildly - it couldn't be... Could it?

"Okay, I'll go." I heaved myself to my paws. "But this better be good."

***

I tasted the air as I approached the border somewhat hesitantly. If it really was her... I would... What? Chase her out of my territory? Snarl at her? I didn't honestly know.

I distinguished three ThunderClan scents - two warriors, Hollyleaf and Lionblaze, and the blind medicine cat, Jayfeather. My heart sank - no, it was sinking at the fact that there were three of them and only one of me. It could be an ambush, after all - Lionblaze had almost murdered me once before.

Hollyleaf was quivering, every hair on her pelt pricked and her green eyes huge with fear. Jayfeather's sightless blue eyes flashed with a puzzling emotion that I couldn't read, but Lionblaze looked furious, his claws unsheathed, his lips drawn back in a soundless snarl.

"What do you want?" I asked, putting on a face that was braver than the terrified cat within me, warning me of Lionblaze's sharpened claws. Jayfeather opened his jaws but said nothing, while Hollyleaf gasped sharply. For the first time, I felt a prick of irritation - weren't they even going to _tell_ me why they disturbed my sleep?

But Lionblaze showed no such fear. "Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight are not our parents," he informed me. "Leafpool is our mother and you are our father."

For a heartbeat, I was so taken aback that I couldn't say a word. Leafpool - the cat I had loved! But I had let her go - I had! So that she could be ThunderClan's medicine cat! She... She meant no more to me than any other she-cat now - and much less than Nightcloud. I loved _Nightcloud_, I couldn't have fathered Leafpool's kits... Could I?

"Don't be mousebrained." I tried my best to sound certain, but it was a pretty poor best, in my opinion. "That's impossible."

But memories were flooding back now. I tried desperately to stop them, but the torrent of recollections were flowing too thick and fast.

_No... I must think of Nightcloud - Nightcloud! And Breezepelt - please, StarClan, what have I done to deserve such pain?_

I was standing on the edge of the precipice, pulling Leafpool to safety and watching relief stream into her beautiful amber eyes.

I was telling Leafpool that I loved her, and watching bewilderment and love glowing in her eyes as she told me that she loved me too, but we couldn't... that I was a WindClan warrior and she was a medicine cat... But an instinct told me that her protests were feeble, that she loved me too.

I was crouching under a bush at a Gathering, not caring about thorns pricking my pelt as I begged Leafpool to run away with me, knowing that it was the only way that we could be together.

I was standing on the moor, a stiff breeze flattening my pelt, my ears pricked with surprise as I saw and scented Leafpool.

I was watching her eyes shine with love as she told me that she had made her descision, that she would run away with me. My heart was swelling with joy.

I was listening to Midnight the badger telling Leafpool and I of great trouble.

I was drowning in the depths of Leafpool's amber gaze as she told me that she had to go back to serve her Clan.

I was fighting badgers more fiercely than I ever would have thought possible, only thinking of doing everything in my power to save Leafpool, to help her.

"Your heart lies here," I was murmuring, though sharp claws were ripping my heart to shreds. "Not with me. It was never truly with me."

I could see how my words had struck home, and I was running... running forever to escape that amber gaze that had caught me, ensnared me, trapped me, captured me... And had never truly released me.

My heart had broken once when Feathertail died.

My heart had broken twice as I let Leafpool go.

"It's true," Jayfeather whispered, sending me abruptly back to the present. "You didn't know, did you?"

I blinked, dazed. "No..." I whispered.

But then I caught myself. What was I saying? _Nightcloud _was my mate, and I certainly hadn't fathered half-Clan medicine cats' kits! Anger welled up inside me. I was loyal to WindClan, not Leafpool! We had made our decisions - and hers was to be a medicine cat, not a queen. These ThunderClan cats had nothing to do with me!

"I have one mate. Her name is Nightcloud. We have one son, Breezepelt. I don't know why you've come to me with these lies. Go home, and don't come back!"

Hollyleaf looked horrified, but I forced myself to carry on, however much it cost me.

"Why should I care about ThunderClan cats?" I spat. "You mean nothing to me. Nothing!"

_Lies..._ The dawn breeze seemed to hiss at me, but I chose to ignore it. I _had_ to ignore it.

Lionblaze scraped his claws on the ground, and Hollyleaf gasped, her eyes filled with pain. But Jayfeather alone seemed calm.

"The truth is out now. None of us can hide from it again," he mewed.

_You're wrong!_ I yowled inwardly. _I will keep running forever!_

But I didn't say it. Without another word, I turned away from the three ThunderClan cats and fled, hyper-aware of Jayfeather's blind gaze scorching my fur.

My heart had broken a third time as I denounced my kits.


	30. FireLeafstar: Odd Arguments

**A/N/: Here's the next pairing! Thanks to Rainstorm-Mosspath, starpelt1543, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, xxSnowfirexx, candirules, feathercloud13, HereLiesTheHero, Rainsky of ThunderClan, Spottedtalon, Raven Wolfcall, xxxXleafxcrowXxxx, Mysticbreeze, Kye-Zhi, and Macey-The-Invisible for reviewing! It's FireLeaf (star. Leaf_star_!), suggested by Nianque.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, this would be even the slightest bit canon. One-sidedly (which isn't a word, but oh well) from Leafstar.**

FireLeaf: Is it Odd to Argue with Yourself?

"Erm, Sharpclaw, you can go on patrol with Cherrytail and Firestar," I stuttered, my head spinning.

The ginger furred deputy glanced at his former apprentice. "Er... Leafstar, didn't Firestar and Sandstorm say that _I_ was supposed to organize the patrols, since I'm the deputy?"

"And plus, Firestar isn't here any more, so he can't very well go on patrol," Cherrytail added.

"Oh. Right." I flicked my right ear self-consciously. "I'll just, um... Okay. I'm going hunting."

My first day as sole leader of SkyClan was not going brilliantly.

Quickly, I hurried off, careful not to look at the two warriors' slightly amused expressions.

I growled in annoyance. Of couse Firestar and Sandstorm weren't here any more. They had left to go back to ThunderClan. Firestar would probably be glad to get back to his own Clan...

I gave a tiny sigh as I realized I had reached Skywatcher's old den. I was one of the few cats who had actually felt any sense of loss when the old cat had died, although I knew Firestar had felt the same way.

I sat down on a rock and began to wash my paws. I wondered where Firestar was now. Was he already back with his Clan? Was he safe? Was he tired? Could he find enough prey, wherever he was?

_Stop thinking about him,_ I scolded myself. _You need to be thinking about the welfare of your Clan, not daydreaming about the cat who saved it!_

Inside, I knew that Sharpclaw would jump at the opportunity to feel like he was leading the Clan for a while. He had made no secret of his ambition. But I believed - I hoped - I had made the right choice in appointing him my deputy. Even though many cats - me included - were suprised that he had not become the leader in the first place.

_I bet Firestar's Clanmates never doubted him like this when _he_ first became leader..._I thought miserably to myself. _I wouldn't have._

_Of course _you _wouldn't have, _the other part of me contradicted me. This was the part that often spoke in Skywatcher's voice. _You lo-_

_No! Be quiet! Don't even think it! _I silenced 'Skywatcher's' voice. _I don't!_

_I think you do._

_He has a mate! And he's ThunderClan's leader! What right would I have to..._ I shook my head.

_You may not like it, but you can't help it. You love the way the wind ruffles his fur, you love the glint in his green eyes, you love his encouraging voice, you love-_

"No! No! I don't!" I cried aloud, knowing full well that it was all true.

"L-Leafstar?"

I turned. Patchfoot was standing behind me, with his apprentice, Bouncepaw. They were both gazing at me with a mixture of apprehension and unease. Bouncepaw had two sparrows in his jaws.

"Go along and take those back to camp," the black and white tom ordered his apprentice. The ginger tom nodded and padded away swiftly.

"Patchfoot. It's just you." I tried to sound authoritive, like a proper Clan leader.

"A-are you alright?" The warrior looked a little nervous about asking after the wellbeing of his leader, but I was glad that he had.

"I'm fine." I shook my head. "Just... Patchfoot, do you think that it's odd to... argue with yourself?"

A heartbeat after I had said it, I regretted it. What was I doing, unburdening my troubles onto one of my warriors?

"What was it about?" Patchfoot sounded genuinely curious.

"A... a tom," I admitted, looking at my brown and cream paws.

"...Oh." Patchfoot said nothing for a few heartbeats. "Well, love can be confusing sometimes. And it doesn't always work out your way. But, the worst thing is being in denial. I should know," he added in a lower mew.

I looked up, surprised. Patchfoot had given more useful information that I had thought. "...Thanks."

"That's okay." Patchfoot dipped his head. "Well... Goodbye, Leafstar."

"Goodbye, Patchfoot."

_He's right. You shouldn't be in denial. _'Skywatcher's' voice had returned.

_Well, what can I do? He's far, far away, and I won't even see him again when I die... _I looked at my paws again.

_It's not impossible to fall in love twice..._

I stared after Patchfoot's black and white form. _Fall in love... twice?_

A warm glow settled in my belly.

_Well... I suppose you're right._

**A/N/: Wow, that turned out different than I expected. Leafstar being confused over her role as leader? Yes. Voice in her head? Yes. Slight PatchLeaf at the end? Well, that was a surprise.**


	31. LeafShrew: The Warrior Code

**A/N/: Thanks to the people who reviewed for reviewing! This is another crack pairing from Larksong; LeafShrew.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Shrewpaw would be alive. =sniff=**

LeafShrew: The Warrior Code

Every cat thought I liked Squirrelpaw.

But I didn't.

Every cat knew that Whitepaw liked me.

But I didn't like her.

Not in that way, anyway.

Yes. I had lots of she-cats to choose from. But, in the end, it's not really a conscious _choice_, is it? It's not like you have a whole bunch of she-cats in front of you going 'Pick me! Pick me!' and you have to suddenly make a decision.

I wonder what _really_ decides it? Is it really always a 'match made in StarClan' or something? Surely not... otherwise medicine cats would never fall in love.

...Or rather, lovesick little ThunderClan apprentices would never fall for their Clan's medicine cat apprentice.

It was stupid - mousebrained. A little kithood dream... But I couldn't go padding after Leafpaw, it was against the warrior code!

But, you know... I know that without the warrior code we'd just be a group of rogues with no morals, but sometimes...sometimes the warrior code gets in the way of life.

It would be mousebrained to even hope that she felt the same way about me. I mean, she knows the warrior code like the back of her paw! Not that I don't, but she... she doesn't seem like the _type_ of cat to go around clawing the warrior code to pieces.

Unlike Squirrelpaw, her sister. Who _does_ seem like she would rashly break the warrior code and then forget it later.

Oh, but why couldn't I just like her instead? It would just be so much easier... no pain... no agonizing decisions...

Maybe even kits...

But impossible.

I gazed at the skies. Some cat up there really didn't like me.

Maybe if I just ignored her...?

No.

It was selfish, but I couldn't submit to that kind of torture. Not _that_.

Pretending that her soft scent... her soft tabby pelt... her soft voice - everything about her was soft! - didn't stir me and set my heart pounding and my head spinning... that was hard enough.

But to pretend she didn't exist...?

That would be cruel.

So what to do...?

I just couldn't think with my head full of her!

But still...

It was mad...

And wrong...

And I hoped that the warriors of StarClan wouldn't sent a thunderbolt down to kill me and then send me to the Dark Forest for even thinking this, but...

I wished she loved me back.

Or at least, even _knew_ my feelings for her.

"Aargh!" I sighed in frustration, as a - plump, for once - rabbit hopped out of it's burrow and bounced slowly away, pausing once or twice to nibble what sparse grass was left after the Twolegs chewed up the land with their huge monsters.

"It seems like they want to rub it in our faces, doesn't it?" Thornclaw, my mentor, came up behind me. The Twolegs had poisoned all the rabbits, so Firestar had banned them from the fresh-kill pile. "It's like they _know_."

I replied with a huff of annoyance. It wasn't just the rabbit. The rabbit seemed to represent Leafpaw - the only decent catch I could find, but strictly out of bounds.

I took a couple of pawsteps forward, trying to imagine that the rabbit _wasn't_ an evil omen.

Then an almost unrecognizable scent hit my nose. I gasped and whirled around, drinking in the tantalizing smell.

Pheasant!

If I caught this and offered to share it with Leafpaw... maybe... just maybe...

But... it was against the warrior code...

I stared at the large bird for a few heartbeats.

You know what?

Screw the warrior code.


	32. HoneyLion: Blackbird

**A/N/: Thanks to xxSnowfirexx, xxxXleafxcrowXxxx, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, feathercloud13, Kye-Zhi, Rainstorm-Mosspath, and Spottedtalon for reviewing! This one was suggested by Mysticbreeze... What are we up to now? =checks= 32?! Well, the 32nd pairing is HoneyLion.**

**DISCLAIMER: =grumbles about Berrynose= If I owned Warriors, Berrynose wouldn't have been so indifferent towards Honeypaw!**

HoneyLion: Blackbird

I sighed, picking at my fresh-kill. My eyes darted around camp.

Okay, so I _was _an apprentice, admittedly. I was a little young to think about taking a mate.

But still...

Every she-apprentice in the den seemed to like Lionpaw.

It wasn't fair! _Every_. _Single_. _She-cat_.

Well, at least Hollypaw didn't. But he was her brother, after all.

I don't think he actually noticed.

But that's just the mousebrained kind of thing that toms tend to do.

Mousebrained shining golden pelt...

Mousebrained warm amber eyes...

Mousebrained gentle mew...

Mousebrained strength in battle...

"I can't believe I let myself do this!" I complained to myself out loud, sheathing and unsheathing my claws.

"Honeypaw? What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

Sandstorm was dashing over to me, a furious look on her face.

"That blackbird didn't give its life to be clawed at!" she hissed. I glanced down at the bird. Blood was leaking out of it, and one wing was in tatters from where I had been sinking my claws into it in frustration.

Shame washed over me. "I'm sorry, Sandstorm," I mumbled. "I... I didn't think."

My mentor's expression softened. "I understand, I suppose," she mewed. "However, you'll have to go out and catch something to make up for it."

I dipped my head in submission - I had made a kit-like mistake, my punishment could have been a lot worse. "Yes, Sandstorm."

"I'll have to find another apprentice to go with you, though..." Sandstorm's eyes darted around camp and came to rest on a familiar golden-pelted form. "Lionpaw!"

Her grandson looked up, blinking as he opened his eyes. Sandstorm flicked his tail and he heaved himself to his paws, slight annoyance in his eyes that his nap was over.

"Has Ashfur got anything planned for you today?" asked the ginger-furred warrior. Lionpaw shook his head.

"I don't think so... He's taking me on the sunset patrol, but that won't be for a while."

"Would you go hunting with Honeypaw?" Sandstorm asked. "_Some _cat was playing with her fresh-kill instead of eating it." She glanced furtively at the remains of my blackbird. Embarrassment washed over me again for a heartbeat before anticipation overcame it - I realized that I was getting the chance my sisters would be jealous of.

"Sure." Lionpaw yawned widely and then glanced at me, humour sparkling in his amber eyes. "Those _whole _blackbirds won't stand a chance, right, Honeypaw?"

"Hey!" I swiped at him playfully with one of my front paws, and he ducked out of the way.

"Save that energy for the hunt," purred Sandstorm. "And be back by sunhigh!" she called after us as we began to pad away.

***

"Wow!" Respect shone in my eyes. "How did you do that?"

"I don't know, I just... did it," replied Lionpaw modestly. A motionless finch lay at his paws.

"No cat can jump that far," I persisted, replaying the scene in my head. Lionpaw had been crouching more than a foxlength away from the finch before he had pounced.

"It was a fluke, I guess." Uneasiness wavered in Lionpaw's eyes, and I wondered why - wouldn't he be proud of a skill like that? I decided to drop the subject.

"Anyway, do you think there'll be any prey left after that bird gave that call?" I questioned.

"I don't expect so..." Lionpaw mewed slowly. "How about we try near the old Twoleg nest?"

"Ugh." I shivered. "That place scares me!"

"How does it scare you?" teased Lionpaw.

"I don't know, it just... It's so _empty_." I tried to explain.

"Well, if it wasn't, we'd have a slight problem, wouldn't we?" There was still a friendly gleam of humour in Lionpaw's eyes. "Like we need Twolegs on our territory. Anyway, it's abundant in prey."

"I don't like it," I insisted. "And I'm right," I said fimly, before Lionpaw could say anything.

"Well, maybe _I'm _right," Lionpaw challenged, a hint of humour in his mew.

I decided to go along with him. "But maybe _I'm _right."

"Maybe you're not."

"Maybe I am."

"Well, maybe you're a mousebrain!"

"Maybe I am," I replied automatically. Then, realizing what I had said, I backtracked quickly. "No, wait, let me say that again!" I spluttered.

Lionpaw collapsed into a helpless fit of purring in amusement. I couldn't help joining in.

"Maybe," choked Lionpaw, when we had almost recovered, "maybe we never left the nursery."

"Maybe we didn't," I retorted, which, of course, started us off again. Sure enough, I _did _feel like a kit again, playing a friendly argument game that just went around in circles.

Then, I realized that I had forgotten the rivalry between my denmates about Lionpaw. I'd forgotten it because I had been having such a good time.

My denmates and I had forgotten that Lionpaw had a choice about who he wanted to be his mate.

So if I _didn't _end up as Lionpaw's mate...

_Well,_ I decided, _I might as well make the most of moments like these while they last._

Lionpaw sighed contentedly. Then he turned to me. "Wait, _what _were we arguing about again?"


	33. SquirrelShrew: Bleeding Out My Life

**A/N/: Thanks to Rainstorm-Mosspath, Dreamsilver, Kye-Zhi, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, xxSnowfirexx, Rainsky of ThunderClan, candirules, feathercloud13, and Mysticbreeze327 for reviewing! Well, a couple of chapters ago, I promised to upload SquirrelShrew... but it went wrong... and I in fact accidentally uploaded LeafShrew instead... and then I deleted SquirrelShrew... so I've re-written it. I'm _so _sorry to Spottedtalon, who wanted this pairing... I hope you'll forgive me...**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I wouldn't be an idiot and upload the wrong chapter, would I?**

SquirrelShrew: Bleeding Out My Life

I was one of the only happy cats when she returned. Every other cat was looking at her - and Brambleclaw, of course - as though they were some kind of traitor. Shouldn't every cat just be happy that she - oh, and Brambleclaw - had returned?

She looked so sleek and glossy when she returned... her pelt gleaming... her ears pricked and alert... her eyes shining, not dulled with the ache of hunger that I now accepted as normal.

Her features were marred by shock at our scrawny appearances, but that didn't lessen her beauty.

I was surprised that no other cat noticed how beautiful she was... but then...

No other cat watched her like I did.

Except...

Brambleclaw?

I glanced curiously at the way he was staring at her... a deep emotion not unlike the one that had been in Whitepaw's eyes as of late...

No...

It couldn't be...

She couldn't think of him as... as a _mate_?

At least she slept in the apprentice's... well, the apprentice's _overhang_, instead of the warrior's crevice. I invited her to share the twig-like nest that was next to me. She nodded gratefully and fluffed out her fur against the cold, shivering. I pressed myself against her, and she blinked, grateful for the warmth.

I could feel Whitepaw's eyes burning into me - Squirrelpaw had stolen her nest - but I felt like I didn't care. After all, she had... erm... well, she had Spiderpaw, didn't she?

A nagging voice inside me told me Whitepaw didn't think of Spiderpaw as a mate, but I ignored it. Squirrelpaw's green eyes were closed, and a warm glow burned inside me with happiness.

But she spent every waking moment with Brambleclaw.

My tactics became deperate - obvious. I barged in the middle of their conversations to ask Squirrelpaw if she wanted to go hunting. Brambleclaw would eye me suspiciously, and Squirrelpaw, oblivious, would look at me in confusion.

Was it because I was an apprentice? Was that it?

Was I not to be considered?

But Squirrelpaw was an apprentice too!

Maybe I didn't stand a chance...

Maybe they'd experienced more than I could hope for on their journey...

Maybe they were a match made in StarClan...

Maybe they were closer than close.

But then...

Why would I fall in love with her?

***

Thornclaw, my mentor, took me out to hunt for the Clan. The Clan had been horrendously underfed since the Twolegs started tearing up the forest with their monsters.

I had been hunting better than Sandstorm recently, trying to impress Squirrelpaw with the size of my catches.

It hadn't worked so far.

Still, I definitely wasn't going to give up.

It was only that fact, combined with an aching hunger, that would have led me to smell the faint but fresh scent of pheasant, overlaid by rain and the Thunderpath.

At once, I crouched low. If I could only catch this... maybe Squirrelpaw...

It would take more than a piece of prey for her to warm back up to me, but... it would help.

My ear twitched as I heard a faint roar from the distance. A monster - but not a problem. If I could just catch it fast enough...

A screech of round black paws and I realised a heartbeat too late. The pheasant ducked under a bush and a hard shape knocked me flying...

***

"His neck is broken. He would have felt no pain."

No pain...? Then what is... what is this...?

Every cat thinks I'm dead...

But...

I'm not.

Even Cinderpelt... even she's not going to help me...

I try to cry out, but a sharp pain tears at my throat and I lie limp.

I'm going to die...

I'm going to die... And I'm never going to be able to tell Squirrelpaw...

"I'll sit vigil for him."

My sluggishly beating heart leaps for a heartbeat, before I realise that the voice belongs to Whitepaw, not Squirrelpaw.

She's not even going to sit vigil for me...

She never loved me the way I loved her...

My heart wrenches as I realise that _I _never cared about Whitepaw the way she cares about me.

I'm going to die on this StarClan-forsaken rock... in this StarClan-forsaken forest...

I am aware of the soft touch of a nose on my fur before my heart stops completely.

Affection killed the cat.

**A/N/: One more thing... Today is the one-year anniversery of me joining Fanfiction! Rejoice! In commemeration of this event, I've uploaded a one-shot. Go and look at it! And submit a review! Pleeeease!**


	34. FernBramble: Too Cowardly

**A/N/: Thanks to icepelt, Kye-Zhi, xxSnowfirexx, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Macey-The-Invisible, Dreamsilver, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Spottedtalon, blah do blah, HereLiesTheHero, and starpelt1543 for reviewing! Oh my God... FOUR HUNDRED REVIEWS!!!!! =has small hyper fit= Next up is an... um, very crack pairing suggested by Mistybreeze. It is known as FernBramble.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Warriors. I don't own a lot of things... sigh...**

FernBramble: Too Cowardly

Bramblepaw was an attractive young tom. Any she-cat can tell you that much. With his broad, muscular shoulders and rippling tabby pelt, he should have been the object of many she-cats' affections.

Except that his father was Tigerstar.

No cat could forget that. Every one of his movements resembled Tigerstar. Their eyes were the same precise shade of amber, and I swear to StarClan that every hair on their pelts would have been exactly the same length and colour.

But, he held his head high when faced with suspicious glances from the rest of the Clan. He never once considered that other cats would never help him fit in to ThunderClan, or running away to join ShadowClan like his sister Tawnypaw.

I wished I could help him when his sister disappeared. All I wanted to do was press myself against his side and tell him everything would be alright.

But I was too cowardly.

***

Oh, Dustpelt could ramble on about Fernpaw for hours on end. Every other cat in the Clan wanted him to just be quiet and tell the grey she-cat how he felt. But _I _didn't want that - no, not one bit.

I was jealous of Dustpelt's bond with the older apprentice. Sometimes I wished I could be that close to her. But it would never happen. Because it was too late. She and Dustpelt were practically mates already.

But I still couldn't take my eyes off her. It wasn't just her beauty - it was the sweet, sincere way she thanked every cat when they did the smallest thing. It made me want to keep on helping and helping and helping her. Even when she didn't need it.

When the dog pack attacked, I was shocked enough that my own father, leader of ShadowClan, was behind it. But he had killed... He had killed Fernpaw's mother. He had killed his own mate's best friend. There wasn't even any point to the death... well, except to give the pack a taste for cat blood.

But what upset me most was Fernpaw's reaction. The rigid, stunned look of grief on her face... I knew that I would never be able to forget that look for as long as I lived.

I had almost gathered up the courage to go over and comfort her... When Dustpelt stepped in. I froze at once, cursing myself.

I was just too cowardly.

***

Many, many moons later I sat vigil for my brother, Ashfur. I was now a queen - Dustpelt's mate - with several kits.

As I gazed into my brother's now-glassy blue eyes, I thought back to a time long ago. That kithood attraction to Bramblepaw - Brambleclaw now. When he had lost _his_ sibling.

Was this the heartfelt sorrow he had been feeling?

Oh, StarClan, if I had known that, I would have been far more ready to go and comfort him.

If I had done that, would my four - seven, if you count the deceased - kits exist?

Would _I _be Brambleclaw's mate now, instead of Squirrelflight?

It would be no loss to Squirrelflight - she had almost taken another cat - who was, ironically, Ashfur - as a mate instead of the dark tabby. Of course, Dustpelt would be left without a mate... unless he had taken Sandstorm, who he had confessed to me he had liked as an apprentice. But then, Firestar would...

Suddenly realizing what I was doing, I shook my head. Here I was, rearranging who had which mate within my Clan.

It was a moot point, anyway.

I _hadn't _gone to comfort Brambleclaw.

I had been too cowardly.

***

_Is Squirrelflight the right mate?_

Believe me, I have asked myself that many times. And none more so than when she finally told me that our kits were not really our kits at all.

She trusts me so little?

I sighed, my head spinning.

In an attempt to divert my thoughts, I tried to think back to when I was a mere apprentice.

Immediately Fernpaw - well, Fern_cloud_ - came to mind. My fur prickled slightly with embarrassment as I realized that watching her from afar had been a large part of my apprenticeship. And that it was now etched into my memory forever.

I felt slightly traitorous towards Squirrelflight as I sat speculating about another she-cat - but then, _she_ has betrayed me more times to count, especially now, and also when she had seemed to almost be the mate of Ashfur - Ferncloud's own brother, no less.

I firmly told myself that it was completely within my rights to think about Ferncloud. After all, these thoughts couldn't actually _lead_ anywhere - Ferncloud had a loving mate, and more kits to count.

Not to mention the fact that I was too cowardly.

**A/N/: Mysticbreeze, if you're reading this, I know you wanted me to do it in Ferncloud POV. But I _kind_ of did it in Ferncloud's POV, right?**


	35. MistyFire: Kits

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO and Macey-The-Invisible for reviewing! I'm updating because I am SUPER CLOSE to writing up the end chapters to this fanfic and I am DESPERATE to upload them and write them up today, but the stupid Doc. Manager won't let me upload more than fifteen chapters at one time so I have to get rid of some. By updating! So I'm going to upload this chapter, AND the next chapter! Be happy! Right, this is another crack pairing suggested by Spottedtalon and dude1094. And it's MistyFire.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't believe it! No one will let me own Warriors! =sulks=**

MistyFire: Kits

I wasn't happy with Silverstream.

I repeat.

I _wasn't happy_.

Of course, I was glad that my best friend had found love and was happy and all that, but a ThunderClan warrior?

I ask you.

What could she see in those annoying little squirrel-chasers?

They can't fish. They can't even _swim_. And they think that they're _so_ amazing.

Okay, so Silverstream didn't defend _every_ ThunderClan cat.

But it was Greystripe this, Greystripe that. Whenever there was no other cat around, she chattered on about Greystripe until I would have been glad to claw her ears off.

Oh, I kept the secret. I didn't tell any cat. I didn't even tell Stonefur. He could see that there was something bothering me, but he didn't ask.

I wish he had.

One day, in the middle of leaf-bare, Silverstream returned from patrol early. She said that she needed me to help some cats. Apprehension rising in my throat, I reluctantly followed.

Two ThunderClan cats, crouched in the reeds!

My eyes roved over them. One of them was _Greystripe_ - I hated the emotion in Silverstream's eyes when she looked at him - and the other... the other was a handsome ginger tom, with thick ginger fur...

I stopped myself.

No.

Oh, no.

No, no, no, no, no.

I've got kits... I've got kits... Ohh... Why did I agree to come down here...?

Hostility. That's the best cover.

"I kept your secret about _him_," I hissed to Silverstream, indicating Greystripe. "But I'm not going to keep quiet if you start bringing the whole of ThunderClan here."

"Don't be ridiculous." Silverstream's eyes sparked, but I thought I detected... an underlaying of understanding?

_No_, I hissed internally. Then _he_ started to speak.

"It's all right, Mistyfoot. We haven't taken any of your prey, and we're not here to spy. We need to speak of a cat who fought in the battle at Sunningrocks, where Oakheart died."

My heart stuttered for a heartbeat - he knew my name? Then my common sense caught up with me - Silverstream would have told them who I was. I cursed myself and tried to focus on what he was saying.

"Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"It's hard to explain. But it's nothing that could harm RiverClan. I swear that by StarClan."

I relaxed, instinctively trusting him. I was mousebrained to trust him - _why_ did I trust him? - but I did. Silverstream urged me forward until I was sitting next to him.

"Well, if you two are going to talk, Silverstream and I will leave you to it," mewed Greystripe cheerfully. He paused to murmur something to his friend, before disappearing after Silverstream.

"Wait, Greystripe!" The flame coloured tom jumped up, looking alarmed.

"Don't worry." Somehow I felt the need to be friendly. "I won't eat you. You'd give me bellyache."

He turned, looking slightly less frightened.

"You're Fireheart, aren't you? I've seen you at Gatherings."

***

"So?" Silverstream pressed me. "What did he say?"

"Not much," I mumbled.

"Oh, come on, Mistyfoot!" complained Silverstream. "Just come clean and confess!"

"There's nothing to confess," I snapped, turning sharply and attempting to stalk away. But Silverstream stopped me.

"I always know, Mistyfoot! Always! I've been through it myself, and I _always know_!"

"I've got kits, Silverstream!" A hint of desperation entered my mew as I turned. "I've got kits!"

Silverstream pressed herself against my side reassuringly. "Don't worry." She gave a soft purr.

"I'm not going to make anything of it," I maintained fiercely. "My kits deserve that, if no one else."

"But, Mistyfoot, what if...?" Silverstream trailed off in the middle of her question. "What if he loves you back?"

"I _don't_ love him!" My mew became shrill. Hearing it like that... I couldn't stand it.

Silverstream dipped her head in submission, perhaps realizing how I felt about this.

"But I've got something to tell you, Mistyfoot."

"What is it?" I mewed distractedly.

Silverstream's eyes darted from side to side before she lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I'm expecting kits."

That's what really brought it home to me. I may have only met him formally once, but yet...

My best friend and I were both in love with ThunderClan cats.


	36. Jay'sHalf: Goodbye

**A/N/: Here we go, the third update of the day! YES! Now I can finish writing the last two chapters! Now, this one _isn't _crack. As suggested by Swiftpaw of WindClan - Jay'sHalf.**

**DISCLAIMER: I feel so sorry for Half Moon... Jay's Wing disappeared... If I owned Warriors, he would have returned after Jaypaw left.**

Jay'sHalf: Goodbye

When you went into the tunnel, you were... shivering. The night was not cold. I sympathized with you, knowing that when my time came I would not be fearless either. We had all heard about Broken Shadow's son, Fallen Leaves, who had never returned.

I padded quietly up to you and pressed myself against your side. You blinked gratefully, and I felt a warm glow spread throughout my body. Respectfully, I then stood back so that you could enter the dark tunnel... alone.

I thought of the most terrible things that could happen to you in the tunnels that night. I feared that Rock would pounce on you from behind and drag your limp body away into the gloom. I feared that it would begin to rain and you would drown in the watery tunnels. I feared that you would hit your head and bleed to death. Was it really worth becoming a sharpclaw? And worst of all... I never got to tell you...

Some of these awful visions might have slipped into actual dreams - I don't know. But then it was dawn, and I was waiting anxiously for you to return.

One by one, the rest of the cats gathered around the exit to the tunnels. The sun rose steadily into the sky. Where were you?

I sheathed and unsheathed my claws anxiously. Dark Whiskers laid his tail on my shoulders. Sunhigh came and went. Cats began murmuring, worried.

As the sun bled into the horizon, Dawn River padded down to stand next to me.

"He'll be fine," she murmured. "Come on, now, and have something to eat. That will ease the wait."

I shook my head. My belly was a tense knot, and I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep my food down. Dawn River shrugged and padded away.

It was the next sunhigh. Suddenly, we all heard the padding of soft paws from the tunnel. I stopped breathing.

"Is it him?" Whispering Breeze asked excitedly.

"He's later than I thought he'd be," Stone Song commented.

"Do you think he got lost?" Fish Leap asked me, but I wasn't listening.

I took a few pawsteps forward and called to you.

"Jay's Wing? Jay's Wing, is that you?"

No cat breathed as your dark grey shape emerged from the tunnel, looking stunned. A heartbeat passed in silence, before every cat began to crowd you.

"Jay's Wing! It _is_ you!"

"Well done! You're a sharpclaw now!"

"Congratulations!"

I felt dizzy with relief. I couldn't even walk forwards and congratulate you. My paws wouldn't move.

_He's alive. He's _alive_... He wasn't lost like-_

"Fallen Leaves never came out of the tunnels!"

It was Broken Shadow. I lowered my head as Rising Moon quickly coaxed the grieving queen away from the new sharpclaw.

As the cats began to disperse, I watched Dove's Wing bounce up to you. You still looked a bit out of it. I decided to wait until you were back in your own familiar surroundings, and until you'd had some prey, before I began to pester you.

Soon afterwards, Dove's Wing emerged from your nest. "He's sleeping," she explained in a whisper. "I think he'll be awake around dusk."

I nodded. I could wait.

***

"Where's Jay's Wing?" I wailed.

Stone Song whipped around as though he had been bitten on the tail. "_What_?!"

"He... he's not here," I stammered. "I can't find him!"

It was dusk. Several sunrises had passed since you had emerged from the tunnels, and, thanks to a dream that you had had, we were leaving to find a new home. But now... where were you?

I strained to remember our last meeting.

I had brought you a vole, shortly after the casting of the stones.

_"Here. I know your paws are still to sore to hunt." _

_You hesitated, but I pushed it forward._

_"Go ahead. I've had mine."_

_You blinked gratefully, and took a hungry mouthful. "Thanks," you mewed softly. "You're a great hunter, Half Moon."_

_There was a deep emotion in your blue eyes, and my heartbeat accelerated. _

_"It looks as though we've got a long journey ahead." Then I gazed deep into your eyes. "Do you really believe there are stone hills where we can make our home?"_

_Your eyes glimmered in the twilight. "Yes. I promise, they are there."_

_Our eyes locked for several heartbeats._

_"I believe you," I murmured softly._

If you were leaving, why didn't you tell me then? Why didn't you say something... anything...

I thought... you were different.

Cats were searching desperately everywhere around me, but I was somehow... cut of from it. Some part of me was panicking, but it was like I terrified kit next to me, not really a part of me at all. Most of all, I felt... hurt. As though claws had pierced deep into my heart. As though you had turned around and scratched my muzzle.

Broken Shadow was wailing that Fallen Leaves' spirit had stolen you away because we were leaving him to walk in the tunnels forever. The sound was somehow muffled as I plunged deeper and deeper into sorrow.

Why didn't you say goodbye?


	37. WhiteSpider: The Heartbeat Our Eyes Met

**A/N/: Thanks to xxSnowfirexx, Kye-Zhi, Foxclaw, Moonstreak1, lol, Runningshadow, Snad, feathercloud13, and Spottedtalon for reviewing! Well, here we are - only fifteen chapters away from the end! So, this one was suggested by KatLover26. It's SpiderWhite.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, this might have happened. One-sided.**

SpiderWhite: The Heartbeat Our Eyes Met

I gave a long sigh. It echoed around the clearing as the sun bled into the horizon.

I licked one paw and drew it across my ear.

It was always more my _brother_. _That's_ who she had liked. I knew personally - I had heard it firsthand, she had told me herself.

But Shrewpaw didn't even notice - instead, he wasted his time padding after the nuisance on four paws. Otherwise known as Squirrelpaw.

When I compared Squirrelpaw to Whitepaw, I found all sorts of favourable differences - such as, Squirrelpaw rattled on about such nonsense all the time, and didn't even stop when you had a headache, but yet Whitepaw was quieter, calmer, and more philosophical.

I jumped as I heard the roar of a monster. Quickly, I leaped into a dying bush and crouched there until the gigantic creature had steamrollered past, felling several trees as it went.

We couldn't stay here for much longer. I didn't even know why Mousefur was bothering to asses me - the few pieces of prey we could find were scrawny and terrified.

A few sunrises ago, Shrewpaw had been killed by a monster. Whitepaw and I were both devastated, not to mention my mother, Ferncloud, and my father, Dustpelt. I ended up comforting Whitepaw - although I don't think she really noticed, so great was her grief.

I couldn't even bring myself to tell her how I felt. That every time I looked at her my heart stopped. That every time her fur brushed mine every hair on my pelt tingled. That I would have carried myself far beyond the sun-drown-place just to see her beautiful green eyes sparkle.

"Spiderpaw?"

I jumped again and scrambled out of the bush to see Mousefur glaring at me, her eyes narrowed.

"Do you want to be a warrior or not?" she scolded me. "You're supposed to be hunting. The Clan could do with all the fresh-kill it can get - especially now," she added darkly.

I lowered my head. "I know, Mousefur, I'm sorry. I... I was hiding in the bush until that monster passed."

"I've been watching you for a while. That monster passed a while ago," Mousefur accused. I said nothing, thinking it wise to keep quiet. The brown she-cat went on, "Brackenfur and Whitepaw are out here too. Don't disturb Whitepaw. She's very jumpy at the moment."

_What about me? Shrewpaw was my brother! _I wanted to mew, but I forced myself to dip my head and pad away, Mousefur's amber gaze scorching my fur as I did.

As soon as Mousefur was out of earshot, I muttered, "Stupid mousebrain," under my breath, before training my nose on the ground.

It was at times like these at which I wished I had a nose as sharp as Cloudtail's. The long-furred white warrior was the best tracker in the Clan, but _I_ couldn't pick up the scent of as much as a petrified, underfed mouse kit.

Suddenly, I raised my head, sniffing hopefully as the smell of vole reached my scent glands. Elated, I began to creep forward towards the small, brown-furred creature. In a happier time, a piece of prey as undernourised as that one would have been sniffed at by the queens and elders, but now, I knew, they would split it apart carefully and savour every mouthful.

A heartbeat before I pounced, a white blur shot out of a bush beside me and made the kill. Outraged that they had taken my vole, I ambushed the stranger, spitting.

"That was _mine_," I hissed, not recognizing the scent at first.

"S-Spiderpaw!" gasped the cat. "It's me!"

Identifying the mew, I sharply intook my breath and rolled off the so-called 'enemy'. "Whitepaw! Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"Well, be more careful next time!" Cloudtail's daughter mewed crossly, getting to her paws and shaking the dust off her pelt. "Look, the vole's all dusty now."

"I'm sorry," I moaned again.

"Mousebrain." Whitepaw's mew was softer now, and I knew that I was forgiven.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Did I claw you?"

"I'm fine," Whitepaw insisted.

We stood there for a few heartbeats in silence. I shuffled my paws, searching for something to say.

"Well, we'd better take this to the elders and queens," mewed Whitepaw eventually, gazing in the direction of camp.

"Mmm," I mewed, feeling foolish.

Whitepaw turned her head back to face me, and our gaze locked. Green eyes met amber, and I felt a shock coursing through me. I couldn't look away. Whitepaw's eyes throbbed with an emotion that I couldn't place. It was like what I had been feeling towards Whitepaw for moons, but... so much stronger.

We both blinked and looked away at the same time.

Whitepaw picked up the vole in her jaws, looking dazed. I wondered if she was feeling the same way I was - that every word spoken from here to Highstones, and so much more, had passed between us in that one heartbeat.

"I don't suppose Brackenfur would mind if I arrived back at camp a little early." Whitepaw sounded slightly breathless.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I don't think Mousefur would mind, either."

Whitepaw nodded, and began to pad away. I fell in to walk beside her.

Was it just me, or were our pelts brushing just a little more than was natural?


	38. HoneyMouse: Unrequited, Unnoticed

**A/N/: Thanks to xxSnowfirexx, feathercloud13, xxSnowfirexx, candirules, Raven Wolfcall, silverwind, ~Jill~, Spottedtalon, Kye-Zhi, Raven Wolfcall, Macey-The-Invisible, Raikou Arashi, IrichigoTheRabidWarriorsFan500, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, and Swirltail for reviewing! Admittedly, I am a bigger fan of this than HoneyBerry. It was suggested by rhoanna, and here it is; HoneyMouse.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, this would have become canon...**

HoneyMouse: Unrequited, Unnoticed

Everyone was getting exhausted with Honeypaw. Even her sisters. The way she _babbled_... It was the most irritating thing around the whole lake.

Oh, sorry. I meant, it was the most annoying thing around the whole lake to every cat except me.

Her voice was like water flowing over pebbles, and I loved the way her eyes shone when she talked about what she loved most.

Unfortunately, what she loved most was my brother.

"I can't believe Berrynose _actually_ looked at me!"

Actually, it was a glance, because she was being so aggravating, bouncing up and down beside him and hanging on to every word he spoke to Birchfall.

Why couldn't she have been like that about _me_?

Berrynose didn't even like her. Not one bit. I don't think the stupid mousebrain even noticed her... ah... _attraction_... to him. Unlike every other cat in ThunderClan.

How could he not have fallen head-over-paws for her? The way her golden pelt always held that glossy sheen. The way her eyes shimmered with excitement whenever some cat was nice to her, or listened to her.

Our personalities would correspond perfectly. She loved to chatter and never sat still. On the other paw, I was quieter and could listen for a long time. In her case... well, I could listen to Honeypaw's voice forever.

So why was she obsessed with that - dare I say it - bossy furball that was my brother? I didn't understand.

I didn't understand _why_ her eyes glittered with affection whenever she looked at him.

I didn't understand _why_ she couldn't leave the apprentice den without grooming her pelt flawlessly, in case he was watching.

I didn't understand _why _she was desperate to be with him every heartbeat of the day.

Why not _me_?

I didn't _want _to be jealous of my brother. StarClan forbid! And yet...

He had what I wanted so badly - Honeypaw. And yet he just cast her off as an annoying nuisance, just like every other cat in the Clan.

Except me, of course.

I'm a mousebrain, I'm a mousebrain, I'm a mousebrain, I'm a mousebrain...

All I want is to leave Honeypaw alone... Is that so hard?

Well, for me...? Yes. Yes it is.

In reality, here's the basic picture - I'm padding after Honeypaw, who's padding after Berrynose, who, at the moment, is pretending she doesn't exist. However, at some point in our young lives he's bound to notice how amazing Honeypaw is... how beautiful... how graceful... and then... then... then they will become mates... leaving me...

Alone.

In other words...

I haven't got a chance.

I should just give up, right now.

...That's what my common sense is telling me, but my heart...

Well.

That's another matter.


	39. GreyMillie: Blood

**A/N/: Thanks to Rainstorm-Mosspath, xxSnowfirexx, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Macey-The-Invisible, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Spottedtalon, rhoanna, and Kye-Zhi for reviewing! Next up is a pairing suggested by Crazy Computer's Vendetta. You will all be familiar with it. And no, Millie did not 'steal' Greystripe away from Silverstream (see the rant on my profile). If you haven't guessed already, it's GreyMillie.**

**DISCLAIMER: Now let's see... If I owned Warriors, I would be writing the _Omen of the Stars_ series, not fanfiction.**

GreyMillie: Blood

Millie paced around her nest restlessly, her swollen belly bumping against her legs.

_Silverstream touched noses with me, but then gasped in pain and closed her eyes tightly._

"The kits are coming!" Daisy's voice was low. I flashed her a grateful glance and gazed anxiously at my love.

_"Silverstream!" I gasped. "The kits!"_

Jaypaw hurried across the clearing after Daisy and his mentor.

"Look after Millie," I begged the blind apprentice. "If you have to choose which life to save, save hers."

_"You need to be back at your own camp, with your medicine cat." The words flowed out of my mouth in a panic as the silver she-cat sank to the ground, shaking her head in an exhausted way._

I could hear Millie panting hard, and my fur prickled as she let out a long, low yowl.

_Silverstream let out a thin wail and my heart thudded. I felt helpless._

"I want to see the kits!" one of Daisy's kits was whining.

"Is there any blood?"

I stood rigid, trying not to imagine Millie lying on her side, the life bleeding out of her...

_"Silverstream!" I moaned in dread as her body twitched and convulsed, blood pouring out of her. Quickly, I began licking her flank, giving all the reassurance I could._

"Where's Greystripe?" Millie was asking between pants.

"He's just outside."

"Good. Don't let him come in," Millie pleaded, "not yet."

Was something going wrong? Try as I might, I couldn't get rid of the image of Millie's blood-soaked body. I shivered.

_"Greystripe!" It was Fireheart._

_"Fireheart! It's the kits - the kits are coming, and it's all going wrong. Fetch Yellowfang!"_

_As Fireheart dashed away, I resumed licking Silverstream's heaving flank._

_"Not long now, my love," I murmured, trying to convince myself as much as her. "You'll be fine."_

"The first one's coming. I can see it."

_"Cinderpaw?" I mewed anxiously. "The first one... is it dead?"_

_"No," replied the apprentice medicine cat fiercely. "And nor will the other one be."_

_"But Silverstream..." I whispered._

"The next one's coming."

A low moan from Millie...

_Silverstream shuddered weakly, too exhausted to move._

_"You've done it, Silverstream!" Cinderpaw held up a second tiny kit in her jaws._

_But Silverstream was still bleeding... the blood wasn't stopping..._

"There we go," mewed Leafpool in a low voice. "That's the last one."

My paws danced impatiently on the ground as I waited to be allowed in.

_"Hold on, Silverstream."_

_"Silverstream!" I couldn't hold back the thin wail of distress that escaped me now. My paws were wet with Silverstream's blood, but she still managed to raise her head._

_"Goodbye, Greystripe. I love you. Take care of our kits."_

_I was drowning... drowning... drowning in hopelessness... all was lost..._

Leafpool's head emerged from the den and she nodded once. I immediately rushed in.

Millie lay on her side, three kits suckling at her belly. She looked tired but happy. I crouched beside my mate.

_No... no... no... no... no... no..._

_All lost._

_No more love._

"You have two daughters and one son," Millie whispered.

"They're perfect," I mewed softly.

No blood.

No loss.

But three new lives.

Silverstream was gone.

I would always love her.

But now...

Millie claimed the special place in my heart.

And we had our three kits to show it.

And we still had each other.


	40. TigerSpotted: Right Or Wrong

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO, Rainstorm-Mosspath, xxSnowfirexx, feathercloud13, HereLiesTheHero, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Raven Wolfcall, Kye-Zhi, and Spottedtalon for reviewing! Wow, we're only ten oneshots away from the end... This crack pairing was suggested by Larksong; SpottedTiger.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I would be happy happy happy! Unfortunately...**

SpottedTiger: Right or Wrong

Firepaw.

Green eyes.

Ginger pelt.

Thick fur.

Wrong.

Tigerclaw.

Amber eyes.

Dark tabby pelt.

Huge, muscular shoulders.

Right.

***

Firestar.

Perfect leader.

Saved the Clans.

Looked up to by many.

But still.

_Wrong_.

Tigerstar.

Cruel leader.

Attempted to destroy the Clans.

Name that scares kits.

But still.

_Right_.

**A/N/: Oh, I'm so sorry about it's extreme shortness! It was really hard to do, especially since they're related and all... sigh...**

**Since this chapter is so short and rubbishy, I've decided to update super-fast and upload the next chapter in five-ish minutes. Check back then!**


	41. SquirrelCrow: Reasons Not to Tell Him

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO for reviewing! I promised! So here it is! Suggested (once again) by Larksong, it's SquirrelCrow.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Warriors. But if I did, I wouldn't be writing this.**

SquirrelCrow: Reasons Not to Tell Him

First reason.

I liked arguing with him too much to tell him.

It was fun to just _bicker_ without a care in the world. Sometimes I think he was just grumpy to be difficult, or else to provoke an argument between us. He liked our regular yowling matches on the journey, like me, too much to stop. It had become a habit.

He would say something mousebrained, and I would take that as a cue and make a sharp retort.

He would say something cutting, and I would throw a reply at him, often to catch him off guard.

And our voices would get louder and louder until we were practically yowling.

Sometimes Tawnypelt would try to break us up and demand peace and quiet.

But mostly, it would end in a theatrical sigh from me. I would flounce off and turn my back, making irritated - and, according to Brambleclaw, irritat_ing_ - huffing sounds whenever I felt forgotten.

And he would wear a fierce scowl for the rest of the day, but we both knew that it was just an act. He pretended that he didn't know I knew it was an act, but he _did_ know I knew.

And it irked him no end.

Second reason.

He was already in love with Feathertail.

He got that soft look in his eyes whenever he glanced at the silver RiverClan she-cat. Feathertail was lucky - she never felt the sharp side of his tongue. She was in love with him, too - and I couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy that I tried to push away whenever I saw them gazing into each other's eyes, or when Feathertail was teaching him to fish.

And I would sigh - a real sigh, not the huffing that our quarreling provoked - and turn away, wishing that I could fall for Stormfur, or Brambleclaw.

Because I couldn't help wishing that the soft gaze in his amber eyes was meant for _me_ for once.

But it wasn't.

And I didn't suppose it would ever be.

Because he would never feel the same.

He would be _amused_ if I told him.

_Amused_.

Third reason.

It was against the warrior code.

Every glance I gave him was forbidden. The lectures Dustpelt had given me back in the forest rang in my ears every time I looked at him.

_You can never - never - fall in love outside of the Clan. Remember that, Squirrelpaw. It'll only cause pain for the both of you - maybe even kits with a mixed heritage. Squirrelpaw? Are you listening? Squirrelpaw!_

_Listen to me when I'm talking to you, Squirrelpaw!_

I had been fidgeting, yawning with boredom in that lecture. What was the point? I had thought. I wasn't going to fall in love outside of the Clan. I was Squirrelpaw. I was Firestar's daughter. I was _strong_.

...I was _naïve_.

Fourth reason.

He didn't like me.

It wasn't even _that _kind of like. He didn't even like me as a friend. He was too prickly, too reserved. He thought I was a hotheaded nuisance who should never have been involved with the journey in the first place.

That was what _really_ annoyed me about him. That... that _smug_ look in his eyes when he got his saltwater sign. Stormfur and I, of course, hadn't been chosen, so hadn't recieved any kind of sign.

But still... even though that irritated me, it was kind of... affectionate irritation. That doesn't make any sense, but it's true.

My mousebrained _feelings_...

Fifth reason.

Brambleclaw.

He liked me a lot. Every cat could see that. The dark brown tabby was a good cat, and a good friend.

If I told who I _really _liked that I liked him, he would be heartbroken. And he wouldn't even like me as a friend anymore.

I valued Brambleclaw's friendship a lot.

And I couldn't bear seeing the wounded expression on his face.

He'd already lost so much - his father, his sister... and he'd had to cope with seeing nine lives all ripped from his father's body at once. He'd had to struggle with the weight of Tigerstar's betrayal and heritage. And Tawnypelt's, too, once she fled to ShadowClan.

I couldn't...

Even though I didn't like him as any more than a friend, I couldn't put him through losing me too.

But still...

His pelt was not dark grey.

It was the wrong colour.

Oh, Crowpaw...

I could tell you...

But...

I can't.


	42. GreySand: Way Back

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO, xxSnowfirexx, Mint, feathercloud13, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Macey-The-Invisible, Frenzied Warrior, and Spottedtalon for reviewing. Here 'tis - a crack pairing, as suggested by Larksong. GreySand. Okay, so I know that Dustpelt and Sandstorm are older than Greystripe and Ravenpaw, but I'm going to pretend that Sandstorm and Greystripe were older. Don't be difficult and picky. Please?**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, DustSand would be canon and Firestar would end up with Cinderpelt.**

GreySand: Way Back

Do you remember, way back then, when we were kits in the nursery?

I do.

Do you remember how we thought that the nursery was the ultimate playground, and all we wanted was to be the next ThunderClan leader?

I do.

Do you remember the pact we sealed? We promised each other that we would be mates one day. Remember that?

I do.

We told each other that nothing would come between us. Best friends, you and I. Do you remember?

I do.

Before Dustkit and Ravenkit were born, do you remember? I swore to StarClan that I would protect you always.

I do.

Do you remember how you said that you didn't need protecting, that _you_ would protect _me_?

I do.

"Love you, Greykit!" Do you remember those words?

I do.

"Love you, Sandkit!" Carelessly exchanged, it's true, with no idea of their sentimental value, but there all the same. Remember?

I do.

Do you remember when Dustkit and Ravenkit were born? I'm sure you do.

I do.

Remember? Then Dustkit became your friend.

I do.

And then, one day... Do you remember?

I do.

I heard you. You didn't know that, did you? But you must remember all the same.

I do.

"We... we'll be mates, one day, right, Sandkit?" Remember those words?

I do.

"'Course, Dustkit!" Remember?

I do.

"But... what about Greykit? I thought you loved him?" Oh, so you do remember?

I do.

"I used to, I guess... But I love you now, Dustkit!" I see. You remember.

I do.

"Love you, Sandkit!" Do you know how much pain those words caused me?

I do.

"Love you, Dustkit!" More than you could imagine. You've never been heartbroken, have you? You don't know...

I do.

I was only a kit, but for a while... I couldn't face life. Did you know that?

I do.

That's when I made friends with Ravenkit. I never told him why I was so upset, but... I acted as though I didn't care around you. You _didn't_ care. You _don't_ care.

I do.

You're not even mates with Dustpelt now. You cast him off, too. He loved you, too. Do you know that?

I do.

Firestar's your mate. My best friend. Your daughters are good cats, I guess... But do you know how I feel when I look at them? Knowing they could have been mine?

I do.

_"Love you, Greykit!"_

_"Love you, Sandkit!"_

Sandstorm... Do you remember, way back then, in our kithood days?

I do.


	43. MouseHolly: Thoughts Before Drowning

**A/N/: Thanks to Spottedtalon, Rainstorm-Mosspath, xxSnowfirexx, Emmy = Lightningstar, pawsum, mistfur, Benjy, Macey-The-Invisible, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, starpelt1547, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Frenzied Warrior, Willowpool, Larksong, feathercloud13, and Kye-Zhi for reviewing! Now, this next chapter was suggested by Swiftclaw and Macey-The-Invisible. Not crack... well, not _extreme _crack, but not canon. 'Tis MouseHolly.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, this would be canon. I know, I know, it conflicts with HoneyMouse which I also like. But I like a lot of conflicting pairings.**

MouseHolly: Thoughts Before Drowning

No no no no no...

I never wanted this...

Water...

Water is seeping through the cracks in the rock...

Wetting my belly fur...

I shuddered.

This feeling deep inside me...

Is it...

Regret?

Jayfeather...

Oh, Jayfeather...

You'll be so disappointed...

One of the Three will be dead...

The prophecy cannot be fulfilled now.

Lionblaze...

I'm sorry... You won't be looked up to as the greatest warrior in all the Clans now...

Now that you're half-Clan.

Subconsciously, I began running through all of my Clanmates in my mind.

Brackenfur... my beloved mentor...

Brambleclaw... I respected you, and, even though you're not my father, I... I still do.

Leafpool... You lied. Lied to all of us. I hate you, Leafpool. And I hate Squirrelflight, too.

Lies... lies... lies... lies...

Cinderheart... my best friend...

Poppyfrost... always calm as a vixen, even in the face of danger...

Berrynose... I was even fond of you...

Hazeltail... always present, somehow...

Mousewhisker...

Mousewhisker...

I stopped, lingering on the name.

Mousewhisker...

A brush of grey-and-white fur against mine...

I blinked.

Mousewhisker?

The water was soaking my shoulders now.

A reassuring gleam flashed inside my mind. That gleam came from eyes.

Amber eyes.

Surrounded by grey-and-white fur.

_This is so mousebrained!_ I yowled inwardly. Then I repeated it out loud.

"This is so mousebra-" I yowled, before water flowed into my mouth, cutting me off. I began treading water as my paws left the grond, suddenly wishing I was a RiverClan cat.

It was mousebrained, that, just before my death, I discovered secret feelings for one of my Clanmates.

Water went up my nose and I spluttered.

He was always... so _present_, somehow... always there to offer some calm advice... Always ready to listen when my emotions seemed to overflow...

And he made that feeling go away slightly...

I squeezed my eyes tightly shut as the water rose up past them, too, but I was beginning to run out of breath.

And I felt like my heart was being squeezed, too...

Mousewhisker...

A bubble rose up and bobbed against the top of the cavern as I let out my breath. I tried to inhale but water filled my lungs. Slowly, I sank to the ground, my black fur streaming out around me.

...Why...?

**A/N/: Aargh, so short! This chapter irritates me... I wish it was longer...**


	44. FireCinderheart: I Can't Explain It

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO, xxSnowfirexx, Spottedtalon, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Macey-The-Invisible, feathercloud13, Willowpool, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Larksong, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, candirules, and Frenzied Warrior for reviewing! =sniff= So sad... we're really close to the end! Only a few chapters to go... But, on the upside... 500 REVIEWS!!! =squeals= Anyhow, this way suggested by Swiftclaw and it's FireCinder. (Yeah, I know I already did FireCinder. It's FireCinder_heart_, 'kay?)**

**Frenzied Warrior: Cool! You should, it's really fun!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Cinderheart would just find out that she's Cinderpelt already.**

FireCinder: I Can't Explain It

I don't really understand 'love'.

I wouldn't - I haven't experienced it.

And I _definitely_ don't understand Honeyfern's mooning all over Berrynose. _That's_ just confusing. I don't ever want to be involved with _that_ kind of love.

I think love is more like... sharing tongues with a loved one as the sun goes down, and knowing that no feeling can ever come between you, and more passing between the two of you than words can ever express.

But that _still_ doesn't explain why I get a little shock, like my fur tingling, whenever Firestar looks at me. It's not a strong feeling - but I can't deny that it's there.

Not love.

No _way_.

Firestar is moons and moons older than me anyway. It would just be _wrong_. Besides, he has a mate - and two kits - and even three grandkits, who are my age, for StarClan's sake!

Still, when you look at my mother and father...

No. Don't even_ think_ it.

I mean, it's a kind of faint, faded feeling anyway, like those random memories I get of being in the old forest, or fears of being attacked by badgers.

I have enough to cope with anyway, with my leg twisted stiffly, and my warrior ceremony being put off.

I've always thought it odd that I had an injury almost the same as the old ThunderClan medicine cat. Cinderpelt. She even shares my name, and looks like me!

Maybe it's like Firestar said... maybe the name 'Cinderpaw' _is_ unlucky...

Ohh... Firestar...

I get this very faint sensation of being in love with you whenever I look at you...

But...

I'm sure I never was...

And I don't think I am now...

But I'm still...

I can't be...

...Sure...

It's not...

...I can't explain it.

***

Cinderpaw, why do you remind me of Cinderpelt so?

My lively apprentice, crushed on the Thunderpath.

Your leg injury is even exactly the same - although thankfully, you _will_ be a warrior.

But I see Cinderpelt whenever I glance over at you.

Even when you were a kit...

I half-considered mentoring you myself, but...

Then I'd have to explain why. And...

I'm not sure I know.

...It's time for you to recieve your warrior name...

Along with my own grandkits, Hollypaw and Lionpaw, of course.

But, I feel... although you're not kin...

I know that your warrior name will be...

The same as mine.

Why...?

There's no reason...

...And I just can't explain it.


	45. FireSilver: Pain

**A/N/: Thanks to for reviewing! I thought, since this chapter is so short, I'd upload it as an extra. This one was suggested by dude1094 - FireSilver.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I'd be _slightly_ older than teenage.**

FireSilver: Pain

I heaved a sigh as my unborn kits wriggled around in my belly. Was it really this hard?

Why did it have to be this hard?

A flame coloured pelt.

Fluffy, soft fur.

Warm green gaze.

A loving purr as he rubbed against my side.

That's all I wanted.

But I didn't get it.

They weren't his kits.

They were the kits of his best friend.

The act pained me.

And now...

Greystripe tells me...

He's getting closer...

To another she-cat.

This is my punishment for bearing the kits of a ThunderClan tom who I'm not in love with.

I know it.

I just know it.

And this is the pain...

I'll have to live with...

Forever.

**A/N/: Ugh. So _short_! But, to be honest, it's hard to write so many crack pairings! =sigh= Oh well. Next one's not crack :D I'm off to write it now.**

**See the green and white button down there? Please click it and write words. Please? I promise it won't explode... And your computer won't selfdestruct...**


	46. StormSquirrel: My Hero

**A/N/: Thanks to Willowpool, Raven Wolfcall, Macey-The-Invisible, penny3, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Joysong - Swirltail, Spottedtalon, xxSnowfirexx, Frenzied Warrior, xxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooo, and Oo-Rainpath-oO for reviewing! This is a kind-of canon one. Oo-Rainpath-oO's been asking me for it for ages ^_^ Hope you like it. StormSquirrel. This is kind of an AU.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, the ground would open up and swallow Brambleclaw whole. Oh, and Crowfeather. Don't forget Crowfeather.**

StormSquirrel: My Hero

"Get back!" Brambleclaw snarled. "All of you, hide!"

Like I was about to do that!

For a couple of heartbeats, I crouched, ready to spring, as Brambleclaw leaped at the mountain lion, claws outstretched.

Almost at once, I dashed in from the other side and sprang onto Sharptooth's back, sinking my claws into every mousetail of him I could reach.

"Squirrelpaw!" I heard Brambleclaw yowl. "What in StarClan's name are you doing?"

Sharptooth twisted and writhed, trying to dislodge me, but I just clung on to his pelt harder.

"Quick!" I yowled, as best I could whilst being tossed about like a mouse about to be killed by a cat's sharpened claws. "While he's distracted!"

A caught a glimpse of Stormfur's yellow eyes, wide with fear.

My claws were losing their grip.

"Stormfur!" I screamed. "Help me!"

Sharptooth reared up onto his front paws and slammed them down with great force. At once, I was shaken loose.

I flew through the air as the mountain cat gave a roar of fury. I spotted a flash of dark grey fur before I collided with a soft, furry shape.

"Squirrelpaw!" it gasped. "Are you alright?"

"Stormfur!" I realised who it was. I sat upright, glancing behind him. I shuddered, gazing down at where the waterfall pounded against the rocks outside. Just a few more pawsteps and I would have been dead.

I gave Stormfur a long look. He had almost sacrificed himself to save my life.

"I thought I was going to be fresh-kill back there," I mewed shakily. "You saved my life, Stormfur."

Embarrassment radiated off the dark grey tom's pelt in waves. "I... I didn't really think. I just... did it, I suppose. It's nothing to be proud of."

"Yes it is!" I insisted. "Stormfur, I owe my life to you."

"D-don't be mousebrained," muttered Stormfur, although he looked pleased. "You don't owe anything of the sort."

"Uh, Stormfur? Squirrelpaw? We could use a bit of help!"

I whipped my head around to see Tawnypelt, Feathertail, Brambleclaw, and Crowpaw still wrestling with Sharptooth, while the Tribe cats shrank back in terror.

Stormfur and I cast embarrassed looks at one another.

"It's okay!" Crowpaw's cutting tongue was evidently still in use even though many lives were at stake. "You two can go all soppy and sentimental, and the four who were actually _chosen_ can do all the work!"

"Don't be mousebrained!" I retorted. I turned to Stormfur. "Come on, we have to go."

Stormfur nodded and the two of us leaped towards Sharptooth's huge form. Even in the midst of the battle, I could feel a warm glow spreading throughout me. What was it?

It didn't matter. As long as I was fighting here with Stormfur.


	47. LittleCinder: Illness

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO, xxSnowfirexx, mistfur, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Pureheart's Cry, Ridge_Where_Falcon_Sits, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Frenzied Warrior, Willowpool, Moonstreak1, Kye-Zhi, Snad, tabs14, penny3, and Spottedtalon for reviewing! Next up we've got a pairing that I also love - and it was suggested by Kylyn and Swiftpaw of WindClan. It's LittleCinder!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, this would be canon. Oh, and so would FireCinder. Love that pairing!**

LittleCinder: Illness

"We have to!"

"We can't, mousebrain!"

"Look, do you want to get better, or not?"

"I suppose..."

"Good! Let's go, then."

"But if Nightstar finds out, I'm holding you solely responsible, Littlecloud!"

I shook my head and cautiously picked my way over the border. We were in ThunderClan territory now, for the second time in as many days.

"They won't help us," Whitethroat grumbled. "You heard what their leader said."

"I'm not here to look for their leader," I assured my friend. The medicine cat apprentice with the huge blue eyes... with the fluffy grey fur... that was who I was after. She would help us. I knew she would.

Whitethroat gave a terrible hacking cough. "They'll drive us out, or even kill us..." he muttered pessimistically. "If we die, I'll kill you, Littlecloud."

"We won't die!" I mewed loudly, half-afraid that it was true. "We'll be-" But a coughing fit cut me off.

"You see? I bet that was a sign from StarClan. We won't live."

"What's going on?"

I stiffened, wishing I smelt less like sickness. If a ThunderClan patrol found us on their territory, we'd be done for.

But a small grey shape emerged from the bushes, a wad of herbs in her jaws. Cinderpelt's clear blue eyes grew even huger with surprise, and she dropped the herbs.

Now I was less sure that my plan would work. She had seemed willing to help us before, but... "Please don't hurt us," I begged. "We're no threat to your Clan, I swear by StarClan!"

"You poor _things_!" she exclaimed. "I'm so glad you came back! I _so_ wanted to help you, but Yellowfang..."

Behind me, Whitethroat exhaled loudly in relief.

"Come on." Cinderpelt limped towards me and brushed my fur with her pelt. I shivered as her fur touched mine. But I was just cold, right? My fur wasn't that thick...

"Thank you so much," I mewed gratefully. "There's nothing in our camp but sickness. ShadowClan will be eternally in your debt."

Her whiskers quivered with silent laughter. "Don't let Nightstar catch you saying things like that!"

She flicked her tail, motioning us to lie down in a cave under the knarled trunk of an oak tree. Gratefully, we settled down.

"I'll go and find some herbs for you," she told us. "Don't move."

I sighed as she limped away, my eyes fixed on her.

"You're lucky," rasped Whitethroat from behind me. His voice was rough from the illness. "We could have easily been crowfood."

My whiskers quivered with silent laughter.

***

"Seriously, you don't need to."

Cinderpelt ignored me, and pounced on a mouse. She misjudged the leap, and her leg twisted as she jumped.

"Mouse dung!" Her face contorted in pain. "If only it wasn't for my _stupid_ leg..."

"No, really, let me." It hurt me to see Cinderpelt so helpless. I wished that I could help.

"You're ill. Don't be mousebrained."

"What about you?"

"I'm fine!" she snapped. "I'm a medicine cat. It's my duty."

"It's not your duty to harm yourself for the sake of two cats in a rival Clan," I mewed seriously.

She turned her head, worry in the depths of her clear blue eyes. "But you're so sick," she whispered, her eyes widening with fear.

I felt strange. Why did she care so much that a rival warrior was ill? I quickly tried to shake off the feeling. "I'm only thinking about you."

"I know..." Cinderpelt sighed. "I'm sorry..."

"We're getting better." I jutted out my chin defiantly. "Your mentor thought that this illness was fatal, right? Yellowfang. But we're not dead yet."

Cinderpelt's eyes sparked with liveliness again. "You're right," she nodded. She turned to the trees. "I'm going to catch you a mouse that we can share, Littlecloud. I'm going to catch a mouse, if it kills me."

**A/N/: Do you know something? I am waaaaaaaay too soft.**

**At this moment, I am very tempted to change the story to 'Sixty Loves So Strong', or 'Seventy Loves So Strong', or even 'One Hundred Loves So Strong'. But I'm afraid that I'm going to bore you all. And that's the _last_ thing I want to do.**

**So what do you think? Should I continue it?**


	48. LeopardPine: The Departure

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO, Spottedtalon, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Willowpool, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Raikou Arashi, Cam, mistfur, Random waffle, xxSnowfirexx, poppyspots, ~Jill~, LarkRoseLukos, penny3, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, xXPantheraXx, feathercloud13, Orangey Orange, Moonstreak1, Macey-The-Invisible, Hannah Potter, Raven Wolfcall, and rhoanna for reviewing! Okay, okay. Because I'm awesome, I have in fact decided to continue. However, I'll also be posting the first chapters of _The Holly and the Ivy _and _Snow Leopard_ at the same time. 'Cause I'm impatient. Okay,This pairing contains spoilers for Bluestar's Prophecy, so beware... I fell in love with this pairing after reading Bluestar's Prophecy (and yes, I have read it now!) and I'm soooo happy that xXBloodpulseXx suggested it so I can write it. It's PineLeopard. Yay!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I would murder Pinestar for leaving ThunderClan to become a kittypet.**

PineLeopard: The Departure

_No._

My heartbeat races...

_No, you can't._

Pulling me down...

_You can't do this!_

Dragging me under...

_You can't leave me!_

He couldn't go...

_What have I done wrong?_

Too much...

_I don't understand!_

I can't bear it...

_Don't you care about me?_

No more caring words...

_Do you even realize my pain?_

No more gentle brushes of fur...

_Do you know that I'm feeling this way?_

I feel almost like I want to go after him...

_This terrible, terrible feeling..._

But I can't...

_It's the polar opposite of how I feel when I'm with you._

I can't abandon my Clan...

_It's the opposite of love._

And my kits...

_Is it the age difference between us?_

Oh, my kits...

_Is that it?_

Our kits...

_But you swore by StarClan that you didn't care about that!_

Too weak...

_You promised that you loved me..._

Was this a sign?

_Was it all a lie?_

At least one is strong...

_Why would you lie to me?_

Little Tigerkit...

_Did you enjoy toying with me?_

I have to stay...

_Tigerkit is going to grow up with this hanging over him..._

I have to stay for his sake...

_He'll never know his father..._

But as the first icy claws of rain dampen my fur...

_Do you feel indifferent to my gaze?_

I feel as though my heart is being ripped out of my chest...

_Am I nothing to you?_

And I feel like he's clawing it into a thousand tiny pieces...

_Were you never proud of me like I was of you?_

While my lifeblood stains his paws...

_Did you never feel the wonderful warm glow of love?_

And turns the ground red...

_If that's the case..._

Is this heartbreak...?

_Well..._

I've never had my heart broken before...

_All I can say is that..._

And it hurts...

_I truly pity you._

More than any cat could ever imagine.

**A/N/: Since I'm nice enough to keep going with this, I am once again open to suggestions via a review! Although, I have just checked through all of my reviews and somehow, eighteen pairings that I haven't done have slipped through the net! So I'm going to do them first ;D**

**But please? If I go up to one hundred (wow, scary thought) I still need thirty-two new suggestions! Crack, canon, completely random - the suggestions box is now _open_!**


	49. MouseMinnow: The Act

**A/N/: Thanks to Rainstorm-Mosspath, WolfSummoner93, Oo-Rainpath-oO, xxSnowfirexx, mistfur, xXPantheraXx, starpelt1543, random spunk, Raikou Arashi, Willowpool, Lunarhowl, flyingchicken, Macey-The-Invisible, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Mysticbreeze327, candirules, Moonstreak1, LarkroseLukos, Kye-Zhi, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, and Spottedtalon for reviewing! And now we move onto two chapters, the ones of which I thought of, since I idiotically lost the paper which told me which pairings to update when. =shrugs= Oh well. Hope you like my first choice - MouseMinnow!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Minnowpaw would _so _be a warrior by now. After all, Mousewhisker's been a warrior for _ages_. And Minnowpaw was meant to be older than him.**

MouseMinnow: The Act

I wriggled through a crowd of chattering ShadowClan apprentices, and turned my head from side to side. My sharp amber eyes pierced the crowd, searching out one shape in particular.

"What are you looking for?" a voice from behind me mewed.

I turned quickly to see my brother, Pebblepaw, sitting innocently beside me, along with Pouncepaw.

"Nothing," I snapped.

"Minnowpaw!" a voice interrupted, as Pebblepaw opened his jaws to deliver a swift retort.

I turned my head, my eyes shining as I recognized the voice and pelt of the cat who I had been searching out.

Mousepaw padded over to us, followed by a golden brown apprentice who I didn't recognize.

I nodded in welcome, trying not to give away what I was feeling. If Pebblepaw or Pouncepaw found out that I was harbouring secret affections for a ThunderClan cat I'd be in for it.

"Who's your friend?" I asked, relieved that I could find a safe topic on which to talk about.

Mousepaw stared at me for a few heartbeats with a wistful look in his eyes before answering. "This is Lionpaw." Clearly he was wishing, just as I was, that Pebblepaw, Pouncepaw, and Lionpaw would disappear in a flash of lightning so that we could be alone.

But I had to answer. "Hello, Lionpaw. This is Pouncepaw, and Pebblepaw."

"What do you think of the island?" Pouncepaw's tone was polite, carefully neutral.

"It's great." Lionpaw sounded equally dispassionate.

"We can show you around, if you like," I offered quickly, allowing myself a glance at Mousepaw. His eyes had alighted.

"Thanks for the offer, but Mousepaw's promised to introduce me to some of the other cats," Lionpaw interrupted.

Mousepaw looked confused. "Huh? I have?"

I gritted my teeth and hissed inwardly. _Selfish mousebrain!_

All I could do was watch politely as Lionpaw led a reluctant Mousepaw away, who was sighing. I _had _to pretend that Mousepaw meant no more to me than any other cat.

"Well, I'm going to go talk to some ShadowClan apprentices," mewed Pebblepaw.

"I'll come, too," nodded Pouncepaw. "They're a lot more fun than _that _moony bunch." He flicked his tail towards Lionpaw and Mousepaw, his whiskers twitching.

The two toms padded away and I huffed irritably, before turning to see what Pouncepaw had been mewing about. Lionpaw was now talking to a pretty WindClan apprentice, Heatherpaw. His eyes were blank and his jaw hung open.

_Filthy hypocrite! _I felt like hissing at him.

Mousepaw kept casting impatient, longing glances at me. His amber eyes sparkled in the moonlight, and his gaze told me what he wanted to say as clearly as words.

_I wish we could be alone together._

I blinked sorrowfully at the grey and white ThunderClan apprentice.

_I do too..._

A slight breeze ruffled my downy fur as Onestar called for the meeting to start.

My heart gave a relieved jolt when Heatherpaw padded away to rejoin WindClan, and Lionpaw, forgetting Mousepaw, went to sit with a black ThunderClan she-cat.

I jerked my head towards the edge of the island.

Mousepaw's intelligent eyes darted left and right, before he gave me a quick nod. Surreptitiously, I padded backwards until I was at the edge of the tight-knit groups of cats.

"Hi again," he whispered breathlessly.

"You got away," I whispered back unnecessarily, feeling uncharacteristically shy.

"Mmn."

I shuffled my paws, glancing down at them.

A heartbeat later, there was a warm weight pressing against my side.

My head whipped up, and Mousepaw jumped up as though he had been bitten on the tail, looking mortified.

"I'm sorry!" he whispered, sounding horrified. His mew became a squeak. "I fell!"

"I-it's okay." Though shocking, I had to admit that the experience felt... pretty okay. "It is cold tonight..."

Feeling embarrassed, I took a pawstep closer to him and pressed my fluffy fur against his. I was slightly smaller than him, although I was a moon older.

Mousepaw looked down at me in surprise. For a heartbeat, I felt terrified that he would think I was being too forthright. But then...

"...Okay."

He twined his tail with mine and licked me between the ears.

And I felt...

Happy.


	50. RainSwallow: Elder's Tales

**A/N/: Okay, I want to let you know I'm back to my happy self! ^.^ Thanks to Spottedtalon, Kye-Zhi, Neko Nials, xxSnowfirexx, WolfSummoner93, Willowpool, Raikou Arashi, mistfur, xXPantheraXx, Moonstreak1, gIRL-wHO-lIKES-wIZARDS, Swiftpaw of WindClan, feathercloud13, theSongInside, Lunarhowl, Macey-The-Invisible, Nianque, LarkroseLukos, and Rainstorm-Mosspath for reviewing! And this time, I'm seriously thanking you more than I normally would. I feel so much better now. Thanks so, so, so, so, so... well, you get the idea. But despite your reviews, I have to say that I am going to stop after sixty chapters. Sorry if that confuses any of you! But we're going back to _Sixty Loves So Strong_. This time it's more to do with the fact that I'm writing three stories at once. So, this is the next chapter - RainSwallow.**

**Oh, and special thanks to XStormcloudX for actually PMing me to help me feel better. I really appreciate it ^_^**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I would... I don't know. But I don't.**

RainSwallow: Elder's Tales

Have you ever been in love with any cat?

No?

Well, neither have I.

No, not even slightly.

Calm down, Pricklekit. There's more to life than being in love.

Oh, come on, now, Petalkit. There's no need to get so upset. I know you wanted to hear a story about love, but I don't think Heavystep or Stonestream will be rejoicing if you wake them.

Grasskit, don't complain so. I don't know everything.

Yes, Grasskit, really.

Okay, okay. Don't tug my tail like that, Beetlekit. I'll tell you a story about another pair of cats who were in love.

You kits. You know just how to wrap me around your paw.

Once upon a time, when the Clans lived in the old forest, there was a young dark tabby RiverClan she-cat named... named Thrushtail.

What's that, Petalkit? No, I didn't know her. I just... I just made her up, I suppose.

What do you mean, it sounds like me, Beetlekit? Hey, hey, enough of the cheek! I'm not _that_ old!

Anyway, on with the story. And in ThunderClan, there was a very handsome dark grey tom with perfect blue eyes. His pelt shone, and he was always so loving, and forgiving, and- er, um... of course, this is only a story, after all... And his name was, um, Stormwhisker.

The Twolegs began destroying the forest, and soon all the Clans went on the Great Journey. They travelled as though they were one _big_ Clan, and every cat supported each other.

Yes, Grasskit, I know that's against the warrior code, but all the Clan leaders agreed, and so did StarClan, and at times it was... it was good.

And on this Great Journey, that's where Thrushtail and Stormwhisker met.

At first, Thrushtail was really, really annoyed by Stormwhisker. He kept trying to talk to her, and she wasn't having it, because they were in different Clans.

But one day, the Clans reached the mountains. There was a big jump that every cat had to jump across when they were high up in the mountains. It was a very narrow path, and lots of cats were scared, because Smoke- I mean, because Greypaw of ShadowClan had already fallen off and died. It is very sad, yes, Petalkit.

Anyway, Stormwhisker was next to Thrushtail, because he had been trying to talk to her again. He jumped safely over the gap, but then Thrushtail got very frightened when she was about to jump. She did a kind of half-jump and almost fell off the ledge on the other side!

Don't worry, Pricklekit, Thrushtail was fine. She thought she was about to join StarClan, but then she felt teeth meet in her scruff, and she was hauled up. Stormwhisker had saved her life! He was very brave.

And at that moment, when they gazed into each other's eyes, Thrushtail realized that she had been holding back her true feelings all along. She was in love with Stormwhisker.

Yes, that is romantic, Petalkit, but you can't forget that it's against the warrior code for cats from different Clans to fall in love. So Thrushtail and Stormwhisker had to surpress their feelings for each other, and pretend that they meant no more to one another than any other cat.

No other cat suspected anything, which was good, but Thrushtail was still unhappy. She worried that she wouldn't be able to say goodbye to Stormwhisker when the time came.

But when the Clans found their new home, she knew that she had to. They said goodbye, and headed to their seperate territories.

The end.

Yes, Grasskit, that's it!

Oh, Grasskit, I'm sorry I snapped. It's just there's- I mean, I just thought of another part of the story, and it's very, very sad. I don't know if you should hear it.

Okay, okay, Beetlekit, if you insist.

One night there was a storm when Stormwhisker was out hunting in his new territory. He had probably caught some prey for his Clan already, but then there was a big, big gust of wind. It was so big that the tree near where Stormwhisker was hunting fell over! I know, Beetlekit, it must have been a really big storm.

Pricklekit, you guessed it already. No, he wasn't alright. The tree fell on top of him and he... he was killed.

Yes, I'm fine, Petalkit! Just a tough bit of fresh-kill caught in my throat, that's all.

When Thrushtail found out that Stormwhisker was dead, she was very, very sad. She tried to keep up with her warrior duties, but it was really hard because she was grieving for Stormwhisker so much. Eventually, she moved to the elder's den, because she couldn't find the energy to go on patrols, or to hunt anymore.

It was a very, very unhappy time for her, but she had to learn to live with it.

No, Grasskit, no cat ever found out that she loved Stormwhisker.

I guess it is a sad story, Petalkit, you're right.

Now, you four better get back to your mother before she starts to worry.

Why, thank you, Beetlekit! Was it really the best story I ever thought of?

Okay, Pricklekit. I promise I'll tell you more about Rainwhisker tommorrow.

What? Oh, y-yes. Stormwhisker, that's right. I meant to say Stormwhisker.

His name wasn't Rainwhisker.

**A/N/: Look, I'm really sorry to any of you who thought that this was going to turn into one hundred pairings. I don't know, I just... don't feel as motivated as I did. But, never fear! My next two stories, _Snow Leopard_ and _The Holly and the Ivy_ are up now. And they're now going to be my main works, after I finish the next ten pairings. I'm going to randomly select my favourite ten pairings that I think people have submitted.**


	51. BlueThrush: Everything But Me

**A/N/: Thanks to Swiftpaw of WindClan, WolfSummoner93, Runningshadow, Spottedtalon, Mysticbreeze327, Kye-Zhi, Macey-The-Invisible, Star-Spangled-Dream, and Iceheart018 for reviewing! I couldn't resist doing this one, which mistfur and flyingchicken suggested. It's just so... so... Well, I like it. It's BlueThrush.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Thrushpelt would have got _some_ kind of mate...**

BlueThrush: Everything But Me

I don't understand you. You've got everything.

Your father is one of the strongest, most respected warriors in the Clan.

Your uncle is is the medicine cat.

Your former mentor is now the _Clan leader_.

You have lots of friends.

Even Thistleclaw respects you, I think.

Whitestorm thinks the world of you. You're like a second mother to him.

All the kits want you as their mentor.

You're a very probable choice for deputy once Tawnyspots dies or retires.

You're beautiful, too...

Your blue-grey pelt gives off a perfect sheen, and your eyes are the clearest blue.

But still...

You act like you have the worries of the whole Clan on your mind.

I mean, it's true, your mother _is_ dead...

Your sister, Snowfur, too...

But did you know something?

My mother died giving birth to me.

My father died, too, before you were born.

And I've _never _had a littermate.

Or any kin whatsoever.

You're lucky.

And I don't think you know it.

But I want to help you realize.

I want to make you happy.

Don't you know that?

Don't you think of me like that?

_Congratulations, Thrushpelt! You'll be a great father._

But they're not my kits.

Rosetail doesn't know that.

I'm the only one - save StarClan - that can see you don't love me.

But that doesn't mean I'll stop loving you.

Even if you start to detest me for some unknown reason...

I'll keep on being in love with you.

And that's why I'm coming to find you now.

Because I can tell that you don't want anyone to find out who the _real_ father of your kits is.

Why?

Only StarClan knows.

But I'm not going to pry.

I know you'll need a good friend at the moment. One that the Clan will believe is the father of your kits.

I'll do this for you.

I know it won't change your feelings for me, but...

I'll do all I can.

Because...

Because I'm in love with you, Bluefur.

Truly.


	52. LionHazel: Ruining the Prophecy

**A/N/: Okay, thanks to Snad, Oo-Rainpath-oO, mistfur, Leopardtalon cat, Willowpool, Macey-The-Invisible, flyingchicken, Lunarhowl, Graywind, LarkroseLukos, Iceheart018, TheSongInside, feathercloud13, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Malleh, xxSnowfirexx, WolfSummoner93, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Spottedtalon, Kye-Zhi, Falconflight, rhoanna, and candirules for reviewing! I have chosen the final ten pairings. Which are they? It's a secret ^.^ But I can now reveal that the fifty-second pairing will be LionHazel, as suggested by Orangey Orange!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Thornclaw would have a mate by now. (Completely unrelated to this oneshot but whatever...)**

LionHazel: Ruining the Prophecy

I don't understand it - any of it.

I mean, I am one of The Three. That should make me all-powerful - after all, I have the power of the stars in my paws. Shouldn't it make me... I don't know... invincible or something?

There's no time for anything else. A destiny like mine doesn't leave room for a mate, or kits.

_Definitely _not a mate who came from the horseplace. Little more than a kittypet.

...That was mousebrained. She's no more kittypet than I am - she came to the Clans almost as soon as she was born. My grandfather was pure kittypet, but that doesn't mean I won't shred ShadowClan warriors who set even one paw over the border.

But still. I can't understand. Why did I...?

Is it a fleeting attraction? Will I get over it?

Yes, I will. Probably.

Even if I don't...

I can keep it hidden.

All I have to do is stop talking to her. Otherwise my heart will intefere with coherent speech.

Oh, and avoid her eyes. Or I might drown in their depths...

In fact, I should just stay away from her altogether. Focus on my destiny.

But then Jayfeather will find out...

Stupid mind-reading power...

No, I'll just have to learn to close my mind. Er...

Hmm...

This is harder than it looks...

But what if it's _not_ just a brief flash of liking?

What if it's...?

No. Don't even think about that. It's not.

But still, if she even likes me a fraction of the amount I like her...

Aargh! Why can't I stop thinking about her?

Right.

I'm going to stop thinking about her right _now_.

Okay, _now_.

No, wait, _now_.

...This isn't going to work, is it?

Oh, I just don't know what to do.

Okay, let's get my thoughts straight.

I like her. A lot.

Well, we're getting somewhere. At least I _admitted_ it. That's good, right?

Now, let's look at my choices.

If she feels the same way about me as I feel about her, it'll wreck the prophecy, my destiny, Jayfeather's dream... Possibly destroying the whole Clan in the process.

Or, on the other paw...

If I just ignore her, the Clan will stay safe, she'll be happy with another tom, and I won't disrupt the prophecy.

Actually, put like that, the choice is simple.

I'll be right back.


	53. MoonStorm: Ours

**A/N/: Thanks to Spottedtalon, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Kye-Zhi, xxSnowfirexx, rhoanna, flyingchicken, Swiftpaw of WindClan, WolfSummoner93, LarkroseLukos, mistfur, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Willowpool, xXPantheraXx, Moonstreak1, Orangey Orange, Frenzied Warrior, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Falconflight, Malleh, xXPantheraXx, Lilypelt of SpottedClan, Iceheart018, and Raven Wolfcall for reviewing! O_o I have 700 reviews!!! =goes mental= Thank you thank you thank you so much!! This one was another one from Bluestar's Prophecy... and it was suggested by xXPantheraXx and Crazy Computer's Vendetta. MoonStorm. Oh, and by the way...**

**rhoanna: You are a proper reviewer! And you haven't wasted my time! Please, carry on reviewing. It makes me feel great, and it shouldn't be making you feel stupid. So, please? =puppy-dog eyes=**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Stormtail would have taken a more active role in looking after his kits. Poor Moonflower... :(**

MoonStorm: Ours

I wasn't very comfortable around Moonflower.

Sure, sure, I told the Clan I loved her and all that.

She was a pretty she-cat, I'll give her that. Popular with her Clanmates, too.

Most cats thought we'd be a perfect match.

The slender, beautiful, but brave she-cat that many toms were padding after, with the skilled, strong, proud warrior, who was a favourite to become the next Clan deputy.

But we weren't.

I was always so... _awkward_ around her.

Her brother, Goosefeather, didn't like me. And he was the medicine cat.

That didn't help.

Moonflower was deeply in love with me, but I couldn't spare the same feelings for her. She didn't spark that special feeling in me.

When she told me she was expecting my kits, I was... shocked. Her eyes were gleaming with excitement - and _love_ - as she pressed herself against me. I was so surprised I just stood rigid. I must have seemed hard, cold, far away.

She quickly withdrew her body from mine, the purr dying in her throat.

I wanted to call after her, to tell her that I couldn't be the father she wanted me to be.

But I... just couldn't.

I guess I wasn't as brave and fearless as the rest of the Clan saw me.

When my kits - Bluekit and Snowkit - were born, I couldn't help just feeling a little proud. After all, they were my kin. My daughters.

But the fact remained that they were _Moonflower's_.

I blurted out that they'd make great warriors, and then made up an excuse about going to share prey with Pinestar, ignoring the hurt in Moonflower's gaze.

Adderfang was playing with _his _kits - Leopardkit and Patchkit - near the fresh-kill pile. And Moonflower's thoughts were as clear as if she had spoken them out loud.

_Why can't you be like that with our kits?_

_Our_. The word rang in my ears.

I quickly pushed it away.

_Our kits._

***

As the moons passed, Bluekit and Snowkit became apprentices. I still didn't go to see them much, but I felt a warm glow of content that they seemed to be training so hard under their mentors.

Bluepaw especially - there was no doubt that my blood ran in her veins.

But then the day of the battle arrived.

Goosefeather predicted that pile of foxdung in the fur of Snowpaw's first kill, and Pinestar - the _mousebrain_ - believed him.

I was part of the battle party, as was Moonflower. Bluepaw and Snowpaw were on watch duty.

Screeches of battle rang out all over the WindClan camp. I howled as a WindClan warrior sank his teeth in my leg, quickly retaliating with a swift swipe that tore his ear.

I spotted Leopardpaw bleeding heavily a few foxlengths away, and a jolt of fear coursed through me.

_Please, StarClan, don't let ThunderClan lose any warriors today!_

"Robinwing!" I yowled, glimpsing the young brown she-cat. "Fetch Swiftbreeze's watch patrol! Leopardpaw's got a bad belly wound!"

Robinwing's eyes flashed with alarm as she saw Leopardpaw, who was rapidly losing large quantities of blood. She gave a nod and darted away through the crowd.

Confident that Leopardpaw would be be alright, I fell back to battle two WindClan warriors, the young warrior Dappletail at my side.

It was only when I saw a fleeting glance of blue fur dash through the crowd that I remembered who was with Swiftbreeze on watch duty.

_Bluepaw._

Giving the WindClan cat a last nip to the ear, I sprinted through the mass of fighting cats, trying to see where my daughter was.

I snatched a glance of Swiftbreeze's tabby-and-white pelt leading a bleeding Leopardpaw out of the battle. Bluepaw was with them. I heaved a sigh of relief.

But now a familiar screech came to my ears.

_Moonflower!_

"Stormtail!" gasped Dappletail, skidding to a halt next to me. "Moonflower's managed to penetrate the medicine cats' supply!"

Without hesitating, I tore through the throng of cats until Moonflower's silver pelt was visible. She was being cornered by a mottled dark brown tom, spitting. I recognized him as the WindClan medicine cat, Hawkheart.

_She'll be fine. He's just a medicine cat, _I assured myself, feeling relieved. My heart thudding, I turned back to Dappletail to resume the fight.

"No!" I heard Bluepaw cry. Her mew was cracked with grief.

My eyes widened as I turned to see what had happened. Bluepaw was crouching next to a slumped silver form. Hawkheart stood over them menacingly, blood staining his claws.

In a flash, I realized what had happened.

_Hawkheart used to be a fierce warrior before StarClan called him to be a medicine cat..._

_The fiercest in WindClan..._

_Oh, StarClan, how could I have been so stupid?_

The battle seemed to move in slow motion as I stared at Moonflower's body.

Slowly, Bluepaw raised her clear blue eyes. A hopeless fear lurked in their depths as she stared at me.

The fight drained out of my body.

So I may have been uncomfortable around her.

I may not have loved her as passionately as she loved me.

But underneath it all, it was there, without me realizing.

A gentle undercurrent of love.

But now it was gone.

And I had only just realized it.


	54. OneAshfoot: Crowfeather's Father

**A/N/: Thanks to Macey-The-Invisible, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Storms-Are-My-Nature, feathercloud13, flyingchicken, Willowpool, Frenized Warrior, WolfSummoner93, Raven Wolfcall, Orangey Orange, LarkroseLukos, Scarlett-Huskey, Larksong, xxSnowfirexx, Spottedtalon, Kye-Zhi, Kylyn, Rainstorm-Mosspath, candirules, Starfrost of ThunderClan, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, and rhoanna for reviewing! Here's one which _isn't _in any shape or form ThunderClan-related. It was suggested by LarkroseLukos and Spottedtalon - OneAsh (and that's Ash_foot_, for the record)**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I would know who Crowfeather's father is. Seriously! I've been so curious for ages!**

OneAsh: Crowfeather's Father

No cat knows who Crowfeather's father is.

Well, I do, of course. But I don't count. Because I'm his mother.

I'm Ashfoot, the WindClan deputy. Mother to Crowfeather, grandmother to Breezepelt.

Not even Crowfeather knows who his father is.

Not even Crowfeather's _father _knows he's Crowfeather's father.

I have to say, I have a mix of feelings about Crowfeather.

On one paw, I'm proud of him.

He was chosen as an apprentice to go on the journey and bring the Clans to their new home.

He has a wonderfully faithful mate in Nightcloud, and a strong son in Breezepelt.

He's my son, and I love him.

But on the other paw...

He's bitter towards Nightcloud and barely acknowledges Breezepelt's existence. I don't blame Nightcloud for getting a little tetchy with him at times.

He ran away with the ThunderClan medicine cat, as they were in love - breaking the warrior code twice over - and only returned because Leafpool missed ThunderClan.

I can't say he's pleasant to have around any more.

But I don't regret it. Because I know who his father is.

You may wonder why I'm being so secretive.

No, Crowfeather's father isn't a ShadowClan cat. He isn't a RiverClan cat, or a ThunderClan cat either.

He isn't our medicine cat, Barkface.

He's pure WindClan warrior.

But I'm...

I don't think he feels the same way about me as I feel about him.

But I don't know... Should I tell him?

Should I tell _Crowfeather_?

Or Breezepelt - surely he deserves to know who his grandfather is?

Maybe I should just hint at it.

Okay. He's a strong warrior, brave and proud to fight for WindClan.

I fell for him as soon as we became apprentices, but I tried to hide it, for fear of being embarrassed.

He can be a little agressive towards ThunderClan, because he doesn't want the other Clans thinking that we're ThunderClan's kittypets; that we'll do whatever they ask.

He's not afraid to use his claws to ward off enemies, so you feel... _protected_ when he's around. At least, that's the feeling I get.

He's changed, though - he's not half as mellow as he used to be. He was softer and more vunerable before - more _calm_. Now he's stronger, I think. But at times... sometimes I think hostility isn't the key to everything.

There are some bad things about him, I'll admit. He's stubborn - so stubborn that at times you want to rip his fur off.

But mostly I love him. I really, really love Crowfeather's father.

I still do, although many moons have passed.

I was surprised when he made me his deputy. His eyes were gleaming when he told me that _one_ of the reasons he had chosen me was that I hadn't expected it.

But I couldn't help wondering...

_One_ of the reasons?

I mean, what were the other reasons?

Could he possibly...?

But I dismissed the thought.

He wouldn't have made me his deputy because of that.

Oh, mousedung!

I just hinted far too much.

I just gave away that he was the WindClan leader.

And I'm his deputy.

Yes, Crowfeather's father is the WindClan leader.

Crowfeather's father is Onestar.


	55. PurdyMouse: Last Moons

**A/N/: Thanks to rhoanna, xxSnowfirexx, Rainstorm-Mosspath, flyingchicken, Benjy, Fawnblaze, mistfur, Macey-The-Invisible, Frenzied Warrior, Crazy Compter's Vendetta, and Spottedtalon for reviewing! =sob= I can't remember who suggested this! So I'm sorry if it was you... you'll know who you are! Anyhow, this one is elder love ^.^ It's PurdyMouse.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Purdy wouldn't be such an idiot. =growls=**

PurdyMouse: Last Moons

I thought it'd be nice to rest my limbs for a few seasons before I passed on to the Great Beyond. Couldn't say I wasn't lookin' forward to it, t'be honest. I mean, I'd get to see my Upwalker again 'fter all these moons. But when ol' Brambleclaw offered me a place in their 'ThunderClan', I thought it'd be a good place to sit and snap at the young 'uns.

And, o'course, I had ter make sure they weren't gonna hurt Sol.

So then, when we 'rived at the camp, I was s'prised. In a good way, o'course. It was sheltered, and the small 'uns - they all seemed to have 'paw at the ends of their names - got me moss and food. Tasted better than the rats in the Upwalker-place, I'll tell you that. Wasn't going to admit that, 'course.

There were two other old cats like me. One o' them was quite young - I forget his name - but a rabbit scratched his eyes up, 'parently. Hah! That wouldn'ta happened to _me_!

The other one's a she-cat. Her name's Mousefur. She's good fun. She likes to get snippy with the younger cats, just like me. We have a good laugh at times, me and her.

For being old, she's a pretty good-lookin' cat. Fur's a kinda dusky colour, know what I mean? In a good way. Makes me feel a little 'shamed of my raggedy pelt. Maybe I'll start gettin' those 'prentices - the ones with 'paw at the ends of their names - to get rid of some o' my ticks. That'd be right kind of them.

Wonder if Mousefur thinks I'm a nuiscance? Some o' the younger cats do. They say I'm a 'kittypet', 'cause I lived with Upwalkers. Hah! I could teach them a thing or two, I'd reckon.

They think I don't hear 'em, but I do. Maybe they think I have fluff for brains. Maybe _Mousefur_thinks I have fluff for brains. Gosh, I hope not! She's the only decent friend I have 'round here. Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw are alright, but they've got their kits now. An' Feathertail an' Stormfur an' Crowpaw an' Tawnypelt are in diff'rent Clans. Hah! Why should _that_matter? But 'cording to Mousefur, we've gotta do what Firestar says.

I think ol' Rabbit-Clawed-Eyes is a little jealous, though. He don't get to spend lotsa time with Mousefur anymore. If truth be told, I'm kinda glad. Does that mean Mousefur likes _me_ more that Rabbit-Clawed-Eyes?

It's fun with Mousefur. She told me all sortsastuff 'bout the Clans. I gave that golden tabby a right shock when I told him I wanted to patrol one day. It was worth the bone-aching 'sperience just to see the look on his face when I asked. _An_' a brought back a little bit o' prey for Mousefur. It was just a little shrew, but she said she liked it anyway. And I felt all warm an' fuzzy inside.

I think she was happy to share her den with me. Sounded like it, in any case. Hope so. She's a good cat. If we were a bit younger, I wouldn't be upset if she was to 'spect my kits.

Don't think she can have kits, though. Never had any kits. That made me feel kinda happy. I would've been a bit mis'rable if she an' Rabbit-Clawed-Eyes were mates.

Not that we can be mates. We're too old. Past our time. But we can be 'fectionate t'wards each other. An' she'll make the last few moons of my life sprightly an' cheerful. An' she'll make life in ThunderClan worth livin'.

Maybe I can even spare a few purrs for Rabbit-Clawed-Eyes.

**A/N/: Ha, my spell-check and grammar check hate me now. It was a really wierd chapter to write... But I hope I didn't do too badly!**


	56. RavenPrincess: The Son

**A/N/: Thanks to Spottedtalon, xxSnowfirexx, Falconflight, Kye-Zhi, Shadowpelt7, mistfur, TheSongInside, feathercloud13, Macey-The-Invisible, Willowpool, Frenzied Warrior, Lukos, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Orangey Orange, ~Jill~, Oo-Rainpath-oO, candirules, Larksong, and sweetcakes101 for reviewing! Now, I've always thought that Ravenpaw deserved a mate. So, when Spottedtalon suggested this, I was happy! I know, the timeframe worked out horribly. I researched it for over an hour, and I still can't get it to work. Hmm. We'll just have to say that Princess gave birth absurdly early. It's RavenPrincess. **

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I would also find out who Cloudtail's father and siblings were/are.**

RavenPrincess: The Son

Great StarClan...

When I told Fireheart about the lost white kittypet with ThunderClan scent, I never guessed...

I never guessed that he was Fireheart's apprentice.

Fireheart's nephew.

When Fireheart revealed that he was Princess's sister, my heart stopped.

I was glad that they left me soon afterwards, so that I could sit and stare at Cloudpaw's retreating figure in shock.

"Cloudpaw..." I whispered, my eyes wide. "Princess..."

And as the white form of the ThunderClan apprentice disappeared from view, I let myself be swept away by memories.

_I padded through ThunderClan territory nervously, my tail flicking anxiously as I stood on the fence._

_"Princess!" My mew was low - what if Tigerclaw found me?_

_The tabby-and-white she-cat pushed her way out of the flap in the Twoleg nest. She glanced around the garden eagerly, her green eyes seeking out mine._

_Forgetting my menacing mentor, I leaped lightly down from the fence to join Princess on the short green grass._

_"Hi." My heart was thudding so much that I sounded breathless._

_"You came back." It was a statement, not a question._

_"Of course I did," I replied, surprised. "You did, too."_

_Princess nodded. "Why wouldn't I want to see you again?"_

_I blinked. "I'm one of the wildcats, remember?" Deciding to make light of the situation, I added, "We're supposed to eat _bones_!"_

_Princess shuddered. "You don't, do you?"_

_"Of course not." My whiskers quivered with amusement. Somehow, I felt less afraid of Tigerclaw when I was with Princess. When I went back to camp, however, I knew I would be more terrified than ever that he knew my secret, one way or another._

_"Good." Princess seemed satisfied. She pressed her soft kittypet-scented fur to mine. "But, somehow, you don't seem very _bold_. I always imagined wildcats as being huge, scrawny, terrifying, and attacking anyone they see. You only fit into the scrawny part."_

_I bared my teeth playfully. "What, I'm not terrifying?"_

_Princess purred and twined her tail with mine. I blinked, taken aback, but enjoying the feel of her fur next to mine._

_A purr rose in my throat. For the first time since I had started my training, I felt truly happy._

I shivered as a stiff breeze flattened my fur. A subconscious voice in my mind told me that I should be heading for home. But I was too wrapped up in my memories.

_"Princess?" I gaped in disbelief as I saw the light brown tabby padding quickly towards me. Hunting forgotten, I dropped the half-dead mouse and made no move to stop it drag itself away._

_"Ravenpaw!" Princess reached me and collapsed onto the ground, panting. "You're here!"_

_"Yes, I am - but why are _you_ here?"_

_"I have to tell you..." gasped Princess. _

_"Tell me what?" I urged, scared by the pretty kittypet's condition._

_"I went to the forest," she started, gazing up at me with light green eyes. For a heartbeat I felt captivated, my head spinning, but then I registered what she was saying._

_"By youself?" My gaze darkened._

_Princess nodded. "I was looking for you," she explained, her mew growing soft. "But you weren't there. I couldn't find you. I got scared..."_

_"I don't live there any more," I mewed, nudging Princess with my nose to check that she was alright. "But why did you...?" I froze, cutting off abruptly mid-sentence as I felt a tiny shape fidgeting _inside_ Princess's belly._

_I raised my eyes to Princess's soft ones. "You don't mean...?" I breathed._

_Princess nodded. Her eyes were veiled with love. "I'm expecting your kits, Ravenpaw."_

And he was right there.

I couldn't believe it.

_"I can't see you any more," I whispered. "You can't travel all this way by yourself. Especially if you're expecting kits now."_

_"But..." Princess started. Then she sighed. "You're right. My housefolk won't let me out of their sight now."_

_"So this is... goodbye."_

_"I... suppose."_

_We touched noses one last time. Princess took a few pawsteps, and then turned back to me. _

_"You know, you've changed." Her tone was lighter, but I could see the pain in her eyes._

_"More confident?" I tried to make my voice teasing. "I get that a lot."_

If Fireheart was Princess's sister...

And Cloudpaw was Fireheart's nephew...

That meant that Cloudpaw was Princess's son.

That meant that Princess had given up her son to ThunderClan.

It also meant...

I had just met my son.

**A/N/: Oh my StarClan, that was so very, very cheesy. I apologise for the cheesiness and clicheness.**


	57. RussetBlack: Repulsed By Love

**A/N/: I'm procrastinating from doing my homework. So here is another chapter! Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO, xxSnowfirexx, Kye-Zhi, TheSongInside, mistfur, WolfSummoner93, Frenzied Warrior, Raven Wolfcall, Rainstorm-Mosspath, HereLiesTheHero, candirules, NewProphecy, Gazingmoon, Spottedtalon, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Moonstreak1, Joysong-Swirltail, and vroom for reviewing! It's another leader x deputy oneshot. It was suggested by LarkroseLukos, and it's RussetBlack.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, the series wouldn't only center around ThunderClan.**

RussetBlack: Repulsed by Love

I see it every day.

_Love_.

It scares me how much I loathe it.

When I see Tawnypelt's kits tumbling around in the nursery, I have to quickly hurry away before I spit at them. Because they're a product of Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw's affection for each other.

I convince myself that I'm just suspicious of Tawnypelt's ThunderClan origins. Tigerkit, Flamekit, and Dawnkit will be good additions to the Clan.

But I get a burning feeling in my heart whenever I see two cats together.

I can't stand seeing Snaketail and Whitewater's mooning over each other, and I feel physically ill as I watch Snowbird's belly get rounder with kits every day, while Smokefoot struts around like he's just been appointed Clan leader.

Speaking of the Clan leader... I don't know why Blackstar chose _me_ as his deputy. We've hated each other since we were apprentices - that was clear to every other cat in the Clan. Our yowling matches were famous.

Maybe it was because we've been through so much together. He was the ShadowClan deputy, though he was young for it, and I was about the same age, when Brokenstar rose to power. We supported him wholeheartedly - and why not? He was our leader.

I fought with Blackstar - Blackfoot back then - when we drove cowardly WindClan out of their home. We fought ThunderClan, and our own Clanmates. We were driven out by our own Clanmates, and made a life as rogues. We helped attack the ThunderClan camp willingly, and then in the end re-joined ShadowClan when Tigerstar became leader. We stood guard together at the RiverClan camp, we chased out and killed disloyal or half-Clan cats, and we were part of the mighty TigerClan.

Then it was over...

Tigerstar was killed by BloodClan. And Blackfoot, his deputy, became leader. Naming me his deputy. I was honoured.

Huh. I'm a proud ShadowClan cat. I wasn't confused in any way. Although a cat like Blackstar...

Ugh. Why can't Blackstar just _explain_?

Anyway.

There'll be no kits for me. I can't bear them, as I said before.

But the shock of the realization that I hate love...

Does that make me... _bad_?

Even Tigerstar took a mate, and he was supposed to be completely evil, through and through.

But if the powerful emotion that surges through me whenever I see two cats close isn't hatred...

What is it?

I felt it when I saw Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw sharing tongues.

I felt it when I saw Smokefoot pressing his fur close to Snowbird's.

I felt it when I saw Whitewater and Snaketail teasing each other playfully.

I felt it when I saw two RiverClan cats at the Gathering, tails twined, staring up at the moon. Their eyes were shining with _love_, and purrs were rising in their throats.

I'm in a world full of love.

And I _detest_ it.

...At least, I think I do.

It scared me...

But...

I felt it when I looked at Blackstar.

And it makes no sense.

No sense at all.


	58. TawnyStorm: Proud

**A/N/: Thanks to Oo-Rainpath-oO, NewProphecy, Spottedtalon, xxSnowfirexx, -WarriorDude-, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Wolfstorm7, Frenzied Warrior, Macey0The-Invisible, LarkRoseLukos, Jousong-Swirltail, Moonstreak1, and Raven Wolfcall for reviewing! This one's quite crack-ish, but it seems conceivable. It was suggested by Pureheart's Cry, and someone else, I'm sure... =thinks=... It's TawnyStorm.**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Rowanclaw wouldn't be gender-confused.**

TawnyStorm: Proud

_I'm coming._

Those words rang in my mind. I had surprised Blackstar and Russetfur with my actions. _They _didn't know why I had decided to come to the mountains with Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Crowfeather, Jaypaw, Hollypaw, Lionpaw, Breezepaw, Talon, Night, and Brook. And Stormfur. Oh, Stormfur.

The other cats just thought that it was out of loyalty to old friends that made me come with them. And it was - but not _just_.

Rowanclaw supported my decision. I was glad about that. The ginger tom is a good father, and a good cat. But he's not the same. I've always felt guilty about him... but it can't be helped. I think.

I _had _to go on the journey back to the mountains. Especially since Stormfur now had a mate.

_A mate. _The phrase buzzed around in my mind like a swarm of bees. I couldn't tell him what I'd always wanted to - great StarClan, I wouldn't have plucked up the courage to do so anyway - but now it it would be impossible.

_Brook_.

I had seen her at Gatherings. A pretty she-cat, I'll give her that. But... but... I couldn't like her.

She stole Stormfur. _Stole_ him. Why else would he have wanted to stay in the cold, harsh mountains? Any sane cat would freeze their whiskers off. She wrapped him around her paw, and he would do anything she wanted.

And I hated her for it.

***

"Fantastic," I muttered, rasping my tongue over my sore pad. "I wanted to say goodbye to Stormfur, but now my stupid paw's gone and swelled up."

"Leave it," instructed Squirrelflight. She raised her head and called over her son. "Jaypaw!"

As the blind medicine cat apprentice inspected my tender paw, I glanced longingly over at Stormfur's dark form. Brook was with him. She pressed her fur against Stormfur's, and I jerked my head away, the gesture sparking a feeling far more uncomfortable and raw than my aching pad inside me.

After Jaypaw pronounced my paw fine, I raced over to Stormfur.

"Oh, hello, Tawnypelt." _Why _did his voice have to do this to my mousebrained heart? Couldn't it just beat at the normal rate?

At least I could pass it off as being breathless from the brisk air. "Hi, Stormfur." I ignored Brook. "I wish you were coming back with us."

Stormfur seemed not to notice my slanted comment. "I wish I was too, but... the mountains are my home now."

_Wrong!_ I wanted to yowl. _The mountains are _her_ home! _Did he not even notice that he was practically Brook's _kittypet_? How mousebrained could toms be?

"Well, I suppose that this will be goodbye... forever." Towards the end, my voice lost its frosty tone. A prey-bone seemed to be lodged in my throat.

_Oh, great, now I'm going to get all emotional? I'm supposed to be a ShadowClan cat, for StarClan's sake!_

"I suppose so," Stormfur agreed. He glanced at Brook, whose eyes were narrowed. "Well, I'm lucky I have Brook."

I adopted the cold tone again. Did he really not see how manipulative Brook was? "Very lucky."

Before Stormfur could say anymore, all the other cats padded up to us to bid Stormfur and Brook farewells. I melted back into the crowd, avoiding Stormfur's gaze.

I'd live with Rowanclaw and my kits.

I could survive without seeing Stormfur's gentle amber gaze ever again.

I'd be fine.

_...I hope._


	59. ThistleSnow: Furious Grief

**A/N/: Thanks to Rainstorm-Mosspath, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, xxSnowfirexx, TheSongInside, Shadowpelt7, Swiftpaw of WindClan, Willowpool, Raven Wolfcall, Moonstreak1, Kye-Zhi, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Spottedtalon-Irisfire, Black Rabbit-Chan, emeraldfern, NewProphecy, and Macey-The-Invisible for reviewing! Aah, another Bluestar's Prophecy one. It was suggested by xXPantheraXx, mistfur, LarkroseLukos, and Crazy Computer's Vendetta. ThistleSnow!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, Pinestar would burn to a crisp in the Place of No Stars.**

ThistleSnow: Furious Grief

"I don't want your milk, or your nest!" I heard Whitekit spit at Robinwing. "I want _Snowfur_!"

I couldn't do anything to comfort my son. All I could do was stare at Snowfur's body.

_Dead..._

I watched Whitekit with dull eyes as the tiny kit scampered outside and pressed his nose to his mother's fur.

"I'll stay out here now, with you," he promised, his eyes glassy with pain.

The innocence of the white-furred kit was what made my heart split.

"This is all your fault!" I hissed at Bluefur, the fur on my spine pricking up even more than usual. "Why did you have to take her out into the forest?"

Bluefur just stared at me, a dead look haunting her eyes. I shook my head, refusing to become emotional, turned away, and raced out of camp.

I scrambled up the ravine, feeling numb. I stopped when I reached the top of the ravine, digging my claws into the ground.

_Bluefur will pay for this..._ I vowed, clenching my jaws together. _It's her fault... all her fault..._

Then I stopped. The fight drained out of my body. I forgot my desperate need for revenge. My claws loosened their hold on the ground, and I crumpled on the ground, far from the fearsome warrior I usually was.

I screwed up my eyes in pain.

"Why, StarClan?" I moaned softly. My mew was filled with anguish. "Why her?"

At that heartbeat, the most perfect scent in Silverpelt wreathed itself around me.

_It was my time, Thistleclaw._

I jumped up, my heart thudding.

"Snowfur?"

_I will always love you, Thistleclaw. Look for me in StarClan..._

The gentle whisper faded away, and the scent grew faint.

"Snowfur!" I wailed. My voice died down. "Snowfur..."

I blinked, clenching my jaw against the pain. As the trembling in my limbs died down, I made a solemn vow.

_I promise, Snowfur. You will have your revenge for this._

I unsheathed my claws.

_I will make it so._

**A/N/: Yeah, short and sweet, I know. I like to think that Thistleclaw maybe had a soft-ish side of him... somewhere :D**


	60. WillowJay: Confused Loyalties

**A/N/: Thanks to xxSnowfirexx, Oo-Rainpath-oO, Frenzied Warrior, Crazy Computer's Vendetta, mistfur, Macey-The-Invisible, NewProphecy, Willowpool, feathercloud13, Kye-Zhi, Spottedtalon, Boxman is my homeboy, Raven Wolfcall, Rainstorm-Mosspath, Swiftclaw, and LarkroseLukos for reviewing! Well, this was suggested by LarkroseLukos. I don't really get this pairing (they hate each other! Where did this come from???) but I'm going to have a bash at it nonetheless. It's WillowJay. And... OH MY GOSH!!! =sobs= LAST CHAPTER!!!**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Warriors, I would zap my Erin-y fingers and all of my favourite warrior cats would magically exist.**

WillowJay: Confused Loyalties

I hate him.

Yes, that _is_ true. I was only trying to help him.

How was I to know he was a stubborn, spoiled, idiotic, mousebrained, overly-defensive... Oh, great StarClan, I can't even think of enough words that are offensive enough for him any more. I can try again, though.

He's a mousebrained, snappy, sarcastic, grumpy, ill-mannered, embarrassing, grudging, hateful pile of foxdung that should never have been born, and I hope he drowns in the lake the next time he insults me.

...So is it wrong if I feel loyal to him?

It seems fine when _I_ insult him, but when any other cat does the same, I feel somehow called upon to defend him. Is that wrong?

No. It's not. Of course not. I'm a medicine cat - my bonds towards him are different to the bonds of normal cats from other Clans... But it's still confusing.

If I'm a medicine cat, do my loyalties lie with my Clan? Or with other medicine cats? Or with _all _the Clans? Oh, I don't know...

I suppose I'll always feel a _little_, grudging loyalty towards Jayfeather. Even if he is a reckless, self-centered, attractive, bitter mousebrain.

...Wait. _Attractive_? Since when has _that_ been part of the mix?

Okay. Deep breaths. Calm down. It's not what you think. It's _really_ not what you think. Oh, dear StarClan.

I suppose his fur _is_ pretty okay-looking when it's under the moonlight. And his eyes are a nice colour...

Oh, what am I saying? Come on, Willowshine, you can do this. Get a grip on yourself.

...Now I'm talking to myself. And I _still_ haven't worked out where my loyalties lie.

It's not possible that I actually have _feelings_ for Jayfeather, is it?

No. No, of course not. I'm just feeling the usual, neutral feeling that medicine cats feel towards each other.

...Right?

Yes. I _am_. And if I'm not - which I _am_ - I'll just squash them down out of the way. That'll be easy. I mean, that _would_ be easy, if I _did_ like Jayfeather in a more-than-friendly way. Because, of course, I don't even like him in a friendship sort of way.

So, let me think. I need to collect borage for when Icewing kits arrive, that was it.

Oh, wait. Icewing already kitted, a few moons ago. Ugh. No, this _isn't_ going to mess with my duties. There isn't even a 'this'!

I swear to StarClan, if I didn't like Jayfeather that tiny, little bit - hardly even at all - I would kill him for this.

**A/N/: =sniffs= And... voila! It is... finished!**

**I hope you liked it. All of the pairings. Well, maybe there were some pretty insane pairings thrown in there, but I'm hoping that everyone liked it in a roundabout-ish kind of way.**


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